tier

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
a
: a row, rank, or layer of articles
especially : one of two or more rows, levels, or ranks arranged one above another
b
: a group of political or geographic divisions that form a row across the map
the southern tier of states
2

tier

2 of 3

verb

tiered; tiering; tiers

transitive verb

: to place or arrange in tiers

intransitive verb

: to rise in tiers

tier

3 of 3

noun (2)

ti·​er ˈtī(-ə)r How to pronounce tier (audio)
variants or tyer
: one that ties

Examples of tier in a Sentence

Noun (1) the bottom tier of entrants
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
About 60% of Reynolds members have the highest of the two tiers of membership – Platinum – giving them access to all seven of the courses. Erik Matuszewski, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 The Rooms The 52-room hotel has six tiers of guest rooms, all of which blend traditional Japanese design (every room has tatami mat floors) with contemporary design. Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2024
Verb
The resort's focal point is its central infinity pool, which tiers down three levels before spilling out to a spectacular beach — one of the best in the Bay of Banderas. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2024 Everyone from senior security leadership to tier one security analysts needs to understand their hybrid, multicloud environment. Forbes, 1 July 2022 See all Example Sentences for tier 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tier.' 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 French tire rank, from Old French — more at attire

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1569, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1889, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (2)

1633, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tier was in 1569

Dictionary Entries Near tier

Cite this Entry

“Tier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tier. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

tier

1 of 3 noun
: a row, rank, or layer usually arranged in a series one above the other
tiered
ˈti(ə)rd
adjective

tier

2 of 3 verb
1
: to place or arrange in tiers
2
: to rise in tiers

tier

3 of 3 noun
ti·​er
variants or tyer
ˈtī(-ə)r
: a person or thing that ties

More from Merriam-Webster on tier

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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