tractor
Tractor (noun) means a powerful farm vehicle used to pull ploughs, trailers, and other heavy equipment. Example: “The farmer drove the tractor across the muddy field.”
How to use tractor
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA heavy vehicle built for pulling farm equipment or, in trucking, a trailer.
Word forms
tractored past tense, tractors plural, tractors singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The farmer drove the _____ across the muddy field.
Etymology
Formed from Latin tractus ("pulled, drawn") plus the agent suffix -or, meaning literally "a puller."
Rhymes for tractor
See all rhymes for tractor →Frequently asked questions
What does “tractor” mean?
The word “tractor” means a powerful farm vehicle used to pull ploughs, trailers, and other heavy equipment. In plain terms, a heavy vehicle built for pulling farm equipment or, in trucking, a trailer.
How do you pronounce “tractor”?
“Tractor” is pronounced TRAK-tuh (/ˈtɹæktɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “tractor” in a sentence?
Here is “tractor” used in a sentence: “The farmer drove the tractor across the muddy field.”
What part of speech is “tractor”?
“Tractor” is a noun.
Where does the word “tractor” come from?
The word “tractor” comes from Latin. Formed from Latin tractus ("pulled, drawn") plus the agent suffix -or, meaning literally "a puller.".
Is “tractor” a common word?
“Tractor” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “tractor” have?
“Tractor” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a powerful farm vehicle used to pull ploughs, trailers, and other heavy equipment.
What is the difference between a tractor and a truck?
A tractor, in the farm sense, is a powerful vehicle built to pull ploughs, trailers, and other heavy equipment, whereas a truck is generally designed to carry cargo itself. In trucking, though, "tractor" refers specifically to the front cab-and-engine unit that pulls a separate trailer, distinguishing it from the trailer it hauls.
What is a "tractor unit" or "tractor-trailer"?
A "tractor unit" is the front cab-and-engine section of a large truck, which connects to and pulls a separate trailer; together the two parts form a "tractor-trailer." This is distinct from a farm tractor, though both share the core idea of a powerful pulling vehicle.
Is "tractor" only used for farm vehicles?
No, "tractor" also describes the cab-and-engine unit of a large truck used to pull a trailer, in addition to the more familiar farm vehicle used to pull ploughs and other equipment.