tumbler

noun

tum·​bler ˈtəm-blər 

1

: one that tumbles: such as

a

: one who performs tumbling feats : acrobat

b

: any of various domestic pigeons that tumble or roll over backward in flight or on the ground

2

: a drinking glass without foot or stem and originally with pointed or convex base

3

a

: a movable obstruction in a lock (such as a lever, latch, wheel, slide, or pin) that must be adjusted to a particular position (as by a key) before the bolt can be thrown

b

: a piece on which the mainspring acts in a gun's lock

4

: a device or mechanism for tumbling (such as a revolving cage in which clothes are dried)

5

: a worker who operates a tumbler

tumblerful

ˈtəm-blər-ˌfu̇l 

noun

Examples of tumbler in a Sentence

She drank a tumbler of water.

a gymnast who's a skillful tumbler

Recent Examples on the Web

High-octane glamour is delivered by servers in glittering jumpsuits worthy of an Abba reunion and a huge circular amber bar, fashioned in the shape of an old whiskey tumbler found in the walls of Raffles Singapore during renovations. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026

The user fills the tumbler with water and ice, fits the tumbler with the Ecoldbrew machine, loads the bean hopper (capacity 25 g) with whole beans, uses the rotary dial to set their preferred grind, and enters the brew time on the LED touchscreen. —Shirl Leigh january 22, New Atlas, 22 Jan. 2026

The empty crystal tumbler rests on the floor beside the chaise. —Danielle Parker, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026

Beyond the stainless steel interior, the tumbler features a side handle for easy carrying and a leakproof lid with both a sip opening and a straw opening (with a reusable straw) to chug on the go. —Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

tumbler

noun

tum·​bler ˈtəm-blər 

1

: a person (as an acrobat) who tumbles

2

: a pigeon that often tumbles backward in flight

3

: a drinking glass

a water tumbler

4

: a movable part in a lock that must be adjusted (as by a key) before the lock will open