thresher
THRESH-er
/ˈθreʃər/
A machine or device used to separate grain seeds from the straw and husks (chaff) of a harvested plant.
Historically, this was a standalone stationary machine. Today, its mechanical principles are integrated into the modern combine harvester.
The story behind the word. The word comes from an ancient Germanic root meaning to stamp with the feet. Originally, humans threshed grain by stomping on it or beating it with wooden sticks called flails. The mechanical thresher automated this violent, dusty, and exhausting chore.
Word relationships
- threshing machine: The full, formal historical term for the mechanical device.
Commonly confused with
- reaper: A reaper cuts the plant down; a thresher beats the cut plant to separate the edible grain from the waste.
Word family
- thresh (verb): To separate grain from a plant, typically by beating.
- thrash (verb): To beat repeatedly and violently (a spelling variant that evolved a more general meaning).
Collocations
- steam thresher
- stationary thresher
- threshing machine
Example sentences
- "Before the invention of the combine, harvested wheat had to be fed into a stationary thresher to separate the grain." Discussing the history of agricultural mechanization.
Memory hook
A 'thresher' 'thrashing' (beating) the wheat to shake the seeds loose. Thresher = Beats grain from straw.
When not to use
Do not use to describe the cutting of the crop (which is reaping).
Fun facts
- The word 'threshold' comes from this same root; it originally referred to the area where straw was stomped or 'threshed' at the entrance of a home.
Related words
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