cropper

1 of 2

noun (1)

crop·​per ˈkrä-pər How to pronounce cropper (audio)
1
: one that crops
2
: one that raises crops
specifically : sharecropper

cropper

2 of 2

noun (2)

1
: a severe fall
2
: a sudden or violent failure or collapse

Examples of cropper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
DeSantis' landslide will likely turn out to be the historically most important result from last Tuesday, akin to but with even greater consequences than George W. Bush's victory in Texas in 1998, another midterm year in which the GOP otherwise came a cropper. Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 28 Nov. 2022 But on closer inspection, there are differences: This cropper is shirtless, his backside a bit too pert, and the stalks of asparagus growing from the ground are, in fact, penises. Max Norman David Chow Victoria Petro-Conroy, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022 Intent is where the Manhattan District Attorney’s financial case seemed to come a cropper. Norman Eisen, CNN, 30 Mar. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cropper.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, "a person who reaps crops or trims trees," from croppen "to crop entry 2" + -er -er entry 2

Noun (2)

of uncertain origin

Note: The Oxford English Dictionary, first edition, suggests some relationship with the phrase neck and crop "completely, entirely," usually in reference to a fall or to expulsion from a place. Joseph Wright's English Dialect Dictionary records crop in the sense "neck, throat" from a few northern and western locations; presumably this is a sense of crop entry 1. In this event, neck and crop would be a joining of two synonyms. Whatever value these hints have, a full etymology is lacking.

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cropper was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near cropper

Cite this Entry

“Cropper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cropper. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cropper

1 of 2 noun
crop·​per ˈkräp-ər How to pronounce cropper (audio)
: one that crops
especially : sharecropper

cropper

2 of 2 noun
1
: a severe fall
2
: a sudden or violent failure or collapse

More from Merriam-Webster on cropper

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