tier

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈtaɪ.ə/ (UK); /ˈtaɪ.ɚ/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Middle French tire (“rank, sequence, order”), from Old French tire,^[2][3][4][5] probably from tirer (“to draw, draw out”) (see tirade),^[3][2][6] of unknown origin.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

A row or rank, especially one of several one above another: probably before 1450 in Barnhart, the mid-15th century in Etymonline, the late 15th century in SOED;^[2][3][7] 1569 in the OED and MWU.^[8][5]

Semantic evolution

A row of guns on a warship is from 1573,^[8] and figuratively a rank, grade or stratum from 1590.^[8] In the United States a range of contiguous townships, counties or states is from 1693.^[8] A rank of organ pipes is from 1828–32, and one of several overlapping flounces on a dress from 1934.^[8] The verb, to arrange in tiers, is from 1888–89.^[2][3]

Timeline

• mid-15th century – a row, rank.^[3]
• 1573 – a row of guns.^[8]
• 1590 – a grade, stratum.^[8]
• 1693 – a range of counties (US).^[8]
• 1888 – to arrange in tiers (verb).^[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A row or level of a structure, especially one of several placed one above another.
2. A level or grade within an organization or system: a two-tier system.

Verb

1. To arrange in tiers.

Word family

• flytier
• two-tier

Related words

• tirade
• attire
• retire

Usage notes

A separate tier, pronounced to rhyme with buyer, is one who ties (from tie and -er), recorded from Middle English.^[7][5]

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
8. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press