tier English · revision 7169

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=mid-15th century|origins=fro tire}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈtaɪ.ə/ ''(UK)''; /ˈtaɪ.ɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|tire|t=rank, sequence, order]], from Old French tire,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) probably from [[m|fro|tirer|t=to draw, draw out]] (see [[tirade]]),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) of unknown origin.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==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;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) 1569 in the OED and MWU.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A row of guns on a warship is from 1573,^(OED 1989) and figuratively a rank, grade or stratum from 1590.^(OED 1989) In the United States a range of contiguous townships, counties or states is from 1693.^(OED 1989) A rank of organ pipes is from 1828–32, and one of several overlapping flounces on a dress from 1934.^(OED 1989) The verb, to arrange in tiers, is from 1888–89.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * mid-15th century – a row, rank.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1573 – a row of guns.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1590 – a grade, stratum.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1693 – a range of counties (US).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1888 – to arrange in tiers (verb).^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A row or level of a structure, especially one of several placed one above another.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A level or grade within an organization or system: ''a two-tier system''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To arrange in tiers.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==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.^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}