wiper

noun wip·er \ ˈwī-pər \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of wiper

1 : a person who wipes

2 a : something (such as a towel or sponge) used for wiping

b : a moving contact for making connections with the terminals of an electrical device (such as a rheostat)

c : a usually motor-driven arm with a flexible blade for wiping a window (such as the windshield of an automobile or airplane)

Recent Examples of wiper from the Web

Porsche's engineers cut the weight of the carbon fiber and aluminum car by 86 pounds, to 1872 pounds, by dropping useless frills like the windshield wipers, lights, air conditioner, electronic race controls, and the pneumatic jack.

— jack stewart, WIRED, "Porsche's Rule-Obliterating 919 Hybrid Evo Outraces F1's Fastest Cars," 9 Apr. 2018
Also make sure your windshields are clean and wipers are in good shape.

— rosemarie stein, OregonLive.com, "Portland Metro Thursday Traffic: Be ready for a gloomy wet morning commute," 5 Apr. 2018
The Touring Premium Package adds automatic headlights; LED fog lights; navigation; a premium 12-speaker Bose audio system; rain-sensing wipers; rear backup sensors; second-row retractable sunshades; satellite radio; and a sunroof.

— g. chambers williams iii, Houston Chronicle, "MAZDA CX-9: Crossover offers great styling, sporty performance, plenty of interior space," 26 Mar. 2018
The headlights also illuminated when the windshield wipers were activated.

— emma jayne williams, star-telegram, "Subaru’s redesigned 2018 Crosstrek compact SUV adds space, technology | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 24 Feb. 2018
On the drive back from the county fair in fall '16, Daines was behind the wheel, struggling with the wipers and the defroster, as the rain had left a thick mist hanging in the Central Texas air.

— jack dickey, SI.com, "How Charley Pride Went From Negro League Ballplayer to Country Music's Jackie Robinson," 21 Mar. 2018
During the mixing process, the wiper helps prop the whisk off of the table to avoid messy surfaces and even catches drips with sat upright.

— lauren smith, House Beautiful, "The Whisk Wiper Will Change Your Baking Game Forever," 2 Nov. 2016
Janice triggers her windshield wipers, cutting obese arches against the snowfall.

— miles marshall lewis, The Root, "(What Did I Do to Get So) Black and Blue," 18 Mar. 2018
Via Jack, some inventive inspirations from the Geneva Motor Show, where headlights, tires, windscreen wipers, and even autonomous vehicle concepts got whole new looks.

— aarian marshall, WIRED, "This Week in the Future of Cars: The Time of Questioning," 16 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wiper.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of wiper

1552

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

wiper

noun

Definition of wiper

plural wipers

: a hybrid striped bass that is a cross between a female striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and a male white bass (Morone chrysops) and is silvery-white with dark usually discontinuous or irregular horizontal stripes along the sides

Note: The wiper has an aggressive nature and is bred chiefly as a sport fish for stocking lakes, streams, and reservoirs.

White bass and striped bass have solid stripes on their bodies. The hybrid fish, also called wipers or whiterock bass, have broken horizontal stripes, grow larger than white bass and are more tolerant of warm water than stripers.
—D'Arcy Egan

While wipers are far from unpalatable, their flesh is of a coarser texture and tastes a little more "fishy" than crappie or walleye fillets.
—Steve Davis

— called also palmetto bass, whiterock bass; compare sunshine bass