cutter

cutter — noun

1. a tool, machine, or small device that is designed to cut something such as paper

1.nounB1
Definition

a tool, machine, or small device that is designed to cut something such as paper, glass, metal, or food

Example

Noa used a glass cutter to trim the edges of the mirror before fitting it into the frame.

noun modifier: glass cutter / wire cutter / pizza cutter

The pizza cutter rolled easily across the cheese and pepperoni, leaving clean lines between slices.

Common collocations
  • glass cutter
  • wire cutter
  • cookie cutter
  • paper cutter
  • pizza cutter
  • steel cutter
Synonyms
  • blade

    refers to the sharp edge itself, not the whole tool with a handle

  • knife

    a specific type of cutter with a handle and blade, usually for food

Usage Note

Often combined with a noun that names the material or object being cut, e.g. a glass cutter, a wire cutter, a cookie cutter.

2. a person whose job involves cutting hard materials such as glass, stone, metal,

2.nounB1
Definition

a person whose job involves cutting hard materials such as glass, stone, metal, or diamond into a particular shape or size

Example

Sirin works as a glass cutter at a small factory near Taichung, where she shapes window panels every day.

occupation: glass cutter — a person who cuts glass

The stone cutter carefully measured each block before cutting it for the garden wall.

Common collocations
  • glass cutter
  • stone cutter
  • diamond cutter
  • metal cutter
Synonyms
  • carver

    focuses on shaping by cutting for artistic effect, not industrial cutting

  • trimmer

    specifically someone who cuts off unwanted parts, not shaping from raw material

3. someone who cuts fabric into shaped pieces based on patterns, so the pieces can

3.nounB1
Definition

someone who cuts fabric into shaped pieces based on patterns, so the pieces can be sewn together into clothes

Example

Élise learned to be a cloth cutter from her grandmother, who worked in a garment factory in the 1980s.

occupation: cloth cutter — person in garment industry

The cloth cutter laid paper patterns on silk fabric before cutting the first piece with sharp shears.

Common collocations
  • head cutter
  • cloth cutter
  • fabric cutter
  • pattern cutter
Synonyms
  • fabric cutter

    more general term, can include cutting for upholstery and curtains

  • pattern cutter

    also creates the patterns; a more skilled role

  • tailor

    a tailor both cuts and sews; a cloth cutter only cuts

Usage Note

Distinguish from Sense 2: this sense is specific to the garment and textile industry. Cloth cutters work with fabric rather than hard materials like glass or stone.

4. a person, government action, or business strategy that reduces costs, taxes, or

4.nounB2
Definition

a person, government action, or business strategy that reduces costs, taxes, or spending

Example

The new manager proved a real cost cutter, reducing the office budget twenty percent in her first year.

collocation: cost cutter — someone who reduces expenses

The new mayor was a famous tax cutter who lowered rates for all small businesses in the city.

collocation: tax cutter — a person who reduces taxes

Common collocations
  • cost cutter
  • budget cutter
  • tax cutter
  • deficit cutter
Synonyms
  • savings

    a noun for the amount saved, not the person or action

  • austerity measure

    a formal term for government actions that reduce spending

Antonyms
  • spender

    someone who uses money freely rather than reducing costs

Usage Note

Frequently combined with a noun in a compound: cost cutter, budget cutter, tax cutter. Often used in business journalism.

5. a fast, lightweight boat used by the coast guard, navy, or police to patrol an a

5.nounB2
Definition

a fast, lightweight boat used by the coast guard, navy, or police to patrol an area of water or to carry people and supplies between a ship and the shore

Example

The coast guard cutter patrolled the harbour every morning before the ferries began crossing the channel.

collocation: coast guard cutter — a patrol boat used by the coast guard

Dylan serves on a navy cutter that carries supplies between the mainland and islands in the South China Sea.

Common collocations
  • coast guard cutter
  • navy cutter
  • police cutter
  • customs cutter
Synonyms
  • patrol boat

    a more general term for any boat that patrols

  • launch

    a smaller motorboat, often used to carry people between ship and shore

Usage Note

In naval and coast guard contexts, 'cutter' is the standard term for a small patrol vessel. It does NOT refer to a cutting tool.

6. a kind of sailing boat with one mast placed further back than usual, built to tr

6.nounB2
Definition

a kind of sailing boat with one mast placed further back than usual, built to travel fast, often used in races or for day trips at sea

Example

Abigail learned to sail on a traditional wooden cutter during her summer vacation on the coast of Maine.

type of sailing vessel: cutter — single-masted, fast

The harbour was filled with small cutters preparing for the annual race around the island on Saturday morning.

Common collocations
  • racing cutter
  • wooden cutter
  • sailing cutter
  • traditional cutter
Synonyms
  • sloop

    similar one-masted boat but with the mast placed differently; a sloop has the mast further forward

  • yacht

    a broader term for any recreational sailing or motor vessel

Usage Note

Distinguish from Sense 5: this sense refers to a type of sailing vessel, not a motorised patrol boat. The key feature is the mast placement and sail rigging.

7. in cricket, a ball that is bowled so that it moves sharply to one side when it b

7.nounC1
Definition

in cricket, a ball that is bowled so that it moves sharply to one side when it bounces, often surprising the batter and making it difficult to hit

Example

Théo the bowler delivered a nasty cutter that spun sharply past the batsman's bat.

cutter + spin sharply — describes ball movement after bounce

On the dry pitch, Ravindra's cutter bounced unexpectedly and clipped the stumps.

cutter + bounce + hit stumps — typical outcome pattern

Common collocations
  • bowl a cutter
  • deliver a cutter
  • spin off the pitch
  • nip back off the seam

Usage Note

Used mainly in cricket commentary and coaching. The cutter is different from a 'swerve' or 'swing', which moves through the air before bouncing.

Common Mistakes

The bowler threw a cutter that swung in the air.
The bowler delivered a cutter that turned after bouncing.
A cutter changes direction off the pitch, not in the air.

8. in baseball, a fast pitch that curves slightly sideways just before arriving at

8.nounC1
Definition

in baseball, a fast pitch that curves slightly sideways just before arriving at home plate, making it harder for the batter to hit accurately

Example

Felipe threw a sharp cutter that broke inside and jammed the hitter's swing.

cutter + break inside — describes pitch movement toward batter

The pitcher's cutter slid to the outside edge of the plate for a called strike.

cutter + slide to edge of plate — pitch location pattern

Common collocations
  • throw a cutter
  • a sharp cutter
  • cutter inside
  • backdoor cutter
Synonyms
  • cut fastball

    the full name of the same pitch; 'cutter' is the shortened form

Usage Note

The cutter is a variation of the fastball, with less sideways movement than a slider but thrown at higher speed. Commonly thrown by relief pitchers.

Common Mistakes

His cutter moved like a curveball.
His cutter moved just a few centimetres to the side.
A cutter has subtle movement, unlike the big curve of a curveball.

9. a person who intentionally cuts or wounds their own skin, usually as a way of co

9.nounC1
Definition

a person who intentionally cuts or wounds their own skin, usually as a way of coping with severe emotional distress or a mental health condition

Example

The hospital programme offers support for former cutters learning new ways to manage emotional pain.

former cutters — shows recovery-framed use of the term

Many professionals avoid the label 'cutter' because it can shame people who self-harm.

sensitive label — shows how the term is treated in professional contexts

Common collocations
  • former cutter
  • recovering cutter
  • identify as a cutter
Synonyms

Usage Note

🔴 Sensitive term. Many mental health professionals and advocates prefer person-first language such as 'a person who self-harms' or 'someone with self-harm behavior', because the label 'cutter' can reduce a person's identity to a single symptom. Use this term with care, especially in clinical or public writing.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A 'cutter' is a general-purpose tool designed for cutting—anything from a pizza cutter in the kitchen to a wire cutter in a workshop. 'Knife' is the everyday word for a handheld tool with a handle and sharp metal blade, used mainly for food or small general tasks. 'Blade' refers to the sharp part itself rather than the whole tool (e.g., a razor blade), so you cannot say 'I cut the rope with a blade' if you mean the whole tool. 'Trimmer' is a specialised cutter used for removing excess or uneven parts, such as a hedge trimmer or a nail trimmer—it implies precision tidying, not primary cutting. 'Clipper' is usually paired with a target object (nail clipper, hair clipper) and suggests a scissor-like or pinching action rather than a sliding cut. In short, reach for 'cutter' when you need a general cutting implement, 'knife' for food or pocket carry, 'blade' for the sharp edge alone, 'trimmer' for neatening, and 'clipper' for small, targeted snips.

knife ↗blade ↗trimmerclipper

Common collocations

Nouns

  • glass cutter
  • wire cutter
  • diamond cutter
  • stone cutter
  • steel cutter
  • cost cutter
  • budget cutter
  • coast guard cutter
  • cookie cutter
  • paper cutter
  • pizza cutter
  • fabric cutter
  • cloth cutter

Phrases

  • [material] cutter — a tool or person that cuts a specific material
  • [domain] cutter — a boat, ship, or strategy named for its cutting function

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Cutter is formed from the verb 'cut' (from Old English *cyttan* meaning 'to cut, divide') plus the agent suffix '-er' (from Old English *-ere*, indicating a person or thing that performs an action). The word first appeared in the 14th century to describe a tool or person that cuts. By the 16th century, it was also used for a fast sailing boat—so named because it seemed to 'cut' through the water. In the 19th–20th centuries, the term extended into sports (cricket and baseball) for pitches that 'cut' sideways off the surface.