drawer

noun

draw·​er ˈdrȯ(-ə)r 

1

: one that draws: such as

a

: a person who causes liquor to come out of a container : one who draws (see draw entry 1 sense 1b) liquor

b

: draftsman

c

: one that draws (see draw entry 1 sense transitive 7) a bill of exchange or order for payment or makes a promissory note

2

dialectal also

ˈdrȯ  : a sliding box or receptacle opened by pulling out and closed by pushing in

kept the letters in the top drawer of her dresser

in the silverware drawer

3

dialectal also

ˈdrȯ  drawers plural : an article of clothing (such as underwear) for the lower body

a clean pair of drawers

drawerful

ˈdrȯ(-ə)r-ˌfu̇l 

noun

Examples of drawer in a Sentence

the top drawer of the desk

There are some pens in my desk drawer.

He stood there in only his drawers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Clean the sink, faucet, counters, cutting boards and fridge drawers or shelves beforehand, and use clean knives, peelers and colanders, especially after prepping raw meat, poultry or seafood. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2026

Your sink, faucet, countertop, cutting boards and refrigerator shelves or drawers should be clean too, along with any knives, peelers, colanders or other tools, especially ones recently used for raw meat, poultry or seafood. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026

Ziata says to store arugula in the crisper drawer, which will also help protect it from drying out too much and wilting. — Molly Allen, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2026

Tape backups can be easily disconnected and stored in a drawer, a vault, or a separate facility. — Nick Indge, ArsTechnica, 30 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English drawer, draghere, from drawen "to draw entry 1" + -er, -ere -er entry 2

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing drawer

• bottom drawer
• top drawer

Rhymes for drawer

• abhor
• abor
• adore
• afore
• ardour
• ashore
• backdoor
• before
• bookstore
• candour
• centaur
• claymore

Kids Definition

drawer

noun

draw·​er ˈdrȯ(-ə)r 

1

: one that draws

2

: a sliding boxlike compartment (as in a desk)

3

plural : an undergarment for the lower part of the body

Legal Definition

drawer

noun

draw·​er ˈdrȯ-ər 

: the party that draws a draft compare drawee, payee