What does "rigger" mean?
One who rigs or dresses; as:; One whose occupation is to fit the rigging of a ship or of a counterweight system.
Rigger
/ˈɹɪɡə(ɹ)/ noun
noun ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who rigs or dresses; as:; One whose occupation is to fit the rigging of a ship or of a counterweight system.
- Grammar: rigger is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: builder, craftsman, galleon, junk.
- Useful contrasts: nonrigger, unrigged.
- Usage evidence: So far there was not a hitch. The workpeople, to be sure — riggers and what not — were most annoyingly slow; but time cured that. It was the crew that troubled me.
How to use "rigger"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "rigger" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "rigger" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "rigger" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "rigger" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "rigger" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "builder" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "rigger", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who rigs or dresses; as:; One whose occupation is to fit the rigging of a ship or of a counterweight system.
"So far there was not a hitch. The workpeople, to be sure — riggers and what not — were most annoyingly slow; but time cured that. It was the crew that troubled me."
- 2 Ellipsis of outrigger. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
- 3 a long slender pointed sable brush used by artists wordnet
- 4 One who rigs or dresses; as:; One whose occupation is to lift and move large and heavy objects (such as industrial machinery) with the help of cables, hoists, and other equipment.
"What if the rigger (the person who anchors the grids to the building ceiling) mishangs a single cable?"
- 5 a sailing vessel with a specified rig wordnet
Show 11 more definitions
- 6 One who rigs or dresses; as:; One whose occupation is to outfit a computer model with controls for animation.
"It is common that after the rig is created an animator asks the rigger to create new controls, because the character needs to support new poses or simply needs to look better."
- 7 someone who rigs ships wordnet
- 8 A worker on an oil rig.
- 9 someone who works on an oil rig wordnet
- 10 One who rigs or manipulates (an election, etc).
"The real riggers of electoral boundaries in New South Wales were those who got loose after 1965. When the boys from George Street and Ash Street got loose there was a majority in the Parliament. That is when there was a redistribution […]"
- 11 A part of a rowing boat's equipment used to provide leverage for a rowing blade or oar around a fixed fulcrum.
- 12 A ship with a certain type of rigging. in-compounds
- 13 A cylindrical pulley or drum in machinery.
- 14 A plastic bottle of beer, typically between 1 L to 2.5 L volume. New-Zealand
- 15 A long, slender, pointed sable paintbrush for making fine lines, etc.; said to be so called from its use for drawing the lines of the rigging of ships.
- 16 A person who applies functional or artistic rope bondage to another person's body.
Example
"So far there was not a hitch. The workpeople, to be sure — riggers and what not — were most annoyingly slow; but time cured that. It was the crew that troubled me."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "rigger"?
Common synonyms include: builder, craftsman, galleon, junk, lineman, mast rigger.
How do you use "rigger" in a sentence?
So far there was not a hitch. The workpeople, to be sure — riggers and what not — were most annoyingly slow; but time cured that. It was the crew that troubled me.
How do you pronounce "rigger"?
Pronounced /ˈɹɪɡə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From rig + -er.
Etymology 2
Abbreviation