gatherer

noun

gath·​er·​er -t͟hərə(r) How to pronounce gatherer (audio)
plural -s
1
: one that collects and brings together : collector, compiler
a gatherer of moral anecdotes
these gatherers of dead statistics
2
a
: a collector of money (as for fees, taxes, or other fixed charges)
often used in combination
a tax gatherer
rent gatherers
b
obsolete : miser
3
: a worker or device that gathers something: such as
a
: one that gathers molten glass on the end of a blowpipe
b
: a person or machine that gathers sheets, leaves, or signatures for binding
c
: a sewing-machine operator or attachment that gathers fabric
4
: an incisor of a horse

Word History

Etymology

Middle English gaderer, from gaderen to gather + -er

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Cite this Entry

“Gatherer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gatherer. Accessed 26 Dec. 2025.

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