tractor

noun

trac·​tor ˈtrak-tər 

1

a

: a 4-wheeled or tracklaying automotive vehicle used especially for drawing farm equipment

b

: a smaller 2-wheeled apparatus controlled through handlebars by a walking operator

c

: truck entry 1 sense 1b

2

: an airplane having the propeller forward of the main supporting surfaces

Illustration of tractor

• tractor 1a

Examples of tractor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Video released Tuesday shows Texas state troopers uncovering a human‑smuggling operation after a routine traffic stop on IH‑35 in Webb County led to the discovery of 20 migrants – including four minors – hidden inside a truck tractor's sleeping compartment. —Doug Myers, CBS News, 26 May 2026

Jeremiah Brent is at the wheel of his vintage orange Kubota tractor, hauling plants and soil for his new vegetable garden. —Ingrid Abramovitch, Architectural Digest, 22 May 2026

The Sandy fire ignited Monday, possibly from a tractor striking a rock. —Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026

Without explanation, Christophe begins to lean sideways and fall over, nearly causing a tractor accident and landing him in a metal brace along his torso and up to his chin. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 19 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin trahere

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing tractor

• tractor-trailer

Rhymes for tractor

• acter
• actor
• factor
• attractor
• cofactor
• compactor
• contactor
• contractor
• distractor
• extractor
• impactor
• protractor

Kids Definition

tractor

noun

trac·​tor ˈtrak-tər 

1

: a vehicle that has large rear wheels or moves on tracks and is used especially for pulling farm implements

2

: a short truck with no body used in combination with a trailer for hauling freight

Medical Definition

tractor

noun

trac·​tor ˈtrak-tər 

: an instrument used to exert traction on a body part or tissue (as in surgical procedures)

a urethral tractor