tumbler

noun

tum·​bler ˈtəm-blər 

1

: one that tumbles: such as

a

: one who performs tumbling feats : acrobat

b

: any of various domestic pigeons that tumble or roll over backward in flight or on the ground

2

: a drinking glass without foot or stem and originally with pointed or convex base

3

a

: a movable obstruction in a lock (such as a lever, latch, wheel, slide, or pin) that must be adjusted to a particular position (as by a key) before the bolt can be thrown

b

: a piece on which the mainspring acts in a gun's lock

4

: a device or mechanism for tumbling (such as a revolving cage in which clothes are dried)

5

: a worker who operates a tumbler

tumblerful

ˈtəm-blər-ˌfu̇l 

noun

Examples of tumbler in a Sentence

She drank a tumbler of water.

a gymnast who's a skillful tumbler

Recent Examples on the Web

The Mother's Day collection features three cold cups of varying sizes and one ceramic tumbler. —Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025

This one is an impeccably dressed lawyer who is often armed with a tumbler of whiskey. —Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025

Amazon shoppers are also going after this nifty neck fan, which is great for keeping cool on the go, along with this Stanley tumbler that can keep drinks ice cold for hours on end. —Clara McMahon, People.com, 7 June 2025

Research demonstrates the single best approach is to add coffee grounds to the compost pile or tumbler. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 4 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

tumbler

noun

tum·​bler ˈtəm-blər 

1

: a person (as an acrobat) who tumbles

2

: a pigeon that often tumbles backward in flight

3

: a drinking glass

a water tumbler

4

: a movable part in a lock that must be adjusted (as by a key) before the lock will open