weeder
weeder Lexical Profile
weeder Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A tool, implement, or machine designed specifically for uprooting or removing unwanted plants from soil.
"She used a long-handled weeder to extract the dandelions from the lawn without bending over."
A person who removes weeds from a garden, crop field, or landscaping area.
"The farm hired several seasonal weeders to clear the organic vegetable rows by hand."
North American A notoriously difficult academic course designed to eliminate weaker or less committed students from a rigorous degree program, such as pre-medicine or engineering.
"Organic chemistry is well-known as a weeder that forces many freshmen to switch out of the pre-med track."
Word Nuance & Usage
In North American academic contexts, 'weeder' is frequently used attributively (e.g., 'weeder class' or 'weeder course') to describe notoriously difficult prerequisite classes meant to filter out less capable students from rigorous programs.
• Rhymes for weeder
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Middle English 'weder', from Old English 'wēodian' (to pull up weeds), combined with the agent suffix '-er'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.