tumbler
tumbler Lexical Profile
tumbler Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A flat-bottomed drinking vessel made of glass, plastic, or metal, having no handle, stem, or foot.
"She poured iced water into a tall glass tumbler and placed it on the coaster."
An acrobat or gymnast who performs leaps, somersaults, handsprings, and other floor routines.
"The circus featured a troupe of agile tumblers who vaulted effortlessly across the mat."
A movable pivoting piece or pin inside a lock mechanism that must be aligned by a key or combination before the bolt can be released.
"He listened carefully for the faint click of the brass tumblers falling into place as he turned the dial."
A rotating cylindrical drum or barrel used to polish stones, clean metal parts, mix materials, or dry laundry.
"The jeweler placed the rough agates into a rock tumbler with abrasive grit for several weeks."
Any of several breeds of domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica) known for turning backward somersaults in midair during flight.
"The breeder watched his prized tumbler perform rapid aerial somersaults high above the loft."
• Rhymes for tumbler
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the 14th century in the sense of an acrobat, from the verb 'tumble' plus the agent suffix '-er'. The drinking glass sense emerged in the 17th century because such vessels originally had rounded or pointed bottoms that caused them to tip over unless held in the hand or emptied.