reaper
REE-per
/ˈriːpər/
A machine or person that cuts standing grain crops at harvest time.
Historically refers to a worker with a scythe, or the early mechanical cutting machines (like McCormick's reaper) that revolutionized the 19th century.
The story behind the word. The word 'reap' has been used in English for over a thousand years to describe the act of cutting down mature grain. The personification of death as the 'Grim Reaper' comes from the medieval image of death harvesting human souls like stalks of wheat.
Word relationships
- harvester: A broader term that can include the entire process of gathering crops, whereas a reaper specifically refers to the cutting of grain.
Commonly confused with
- thresher: A reaper cuts the standing crop down; a thresher separates the grain from the cut stalks.
Word family
- reap (verb): To cut or gather a crop; to receive a reward or consequence.
Collocations
- mechanical reaper
- grim reaper
- reaper binder
Idioms & expressions
- reap what you sow (to experience the consequences of your actions)
Example sentences
- "Cyrus McCormick's invention of the mechanical reaper drastically reduced the time needed to cut wheat fields." Discussing the industrial revolution in farming.
Memory hook
The 'Grim Reaper' carries a scythe because he is 'reaping' (cutting down) crops. Reaper = Cuts the standing crop.
When not to use
Do not use to describe the separation of grain from straw (which is threshing).
Fun facts
- The 'Grim Reaper' is a direct agricultural metaphor: death is viewed as a harvester, and human lives are the mature crops being cut down.
Related words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.