Shaper
//ˈʃeɪpə(ɹ)// noun
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any agent that shapes (something), whether literally or figuratively. agent
"one's birth is a shaper of one's fortunes"
- 2 a machine tool for shaping metal or wood wordnet
- 3 Any agent that shapes (something), whether literally or figuratively.; A person who designs and builds surfboards. agent
- 4 a person who makes things wordnet
- 5 Any agent that shapes (something), whether literally or figuratively.; A machine tool in which a single-point cutting tool mounted on a reciprocating ram is traversed across the workpiece linearly. Shapers can generate various shapes, but were most especially employed in generating flat surfaces and keyways. The shaper is nowadays obsolescent, most of its applications being served by milling machines. agent
Example
More examples"one's birth is a shaper of one's fortunes"
Etymology
From Middle English shapper, shapere, schapare, scaper, scheppere, schuppere, alteration (perhaps due to Old Norse skaperi, skapari) of Old English sċyppend, sċieppend (“shaper; maker; creator”), equivalent to shape + -er. Cognate with Dutch schepper, German Schöpfer, Danish skaber, Swedish skapare, Icelandic skapari.
Related phrases
More for "shaper"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.