plural cutters
1
: one that cuts:
a
: one whose work is cutting or involves cutting
wood/glass cutters
b(1)
: an instrument, machine, machine part, or tool that cuts
(2)
: a device for vibrating a cutting stylus in disc recording
also
: the stylus or its point
2
a
: a ship's boat for carrying stores or passengers
b
: a single-masted fore-and-aft rigged sailing vessel
c
: a small armed vessel in government service
3
baseball
: cut fastball
His previous three home runs had come on a fastball, a cutter and a slider.—
Billy Witz
Billy Witz4
: a light sleigh
5
: a person who cuts himself or herself purposely (see cut entry 1 sense 1f) : a person who engages in cutting
The cast includes Jill, a middle-class runaway in love with the romance of risk; Maura, a "cutter" who engages in self-mutilation to thwart her over-controlling father …—Cecelia Goodnow
Cecelia GoodnowExamples of cutter in a Sentence
a fabric cutter
Recent Examples on the Web
To cut dough by machine: Run the pasta sheets through the pasta cutter, then toss noodles with flour to prevent sticking.
—Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2025
The United States Coast Guard cutter USCGC Stratton, left, conducts an exercise with the Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Spey, right, in the East China Sea on June 1, 2025.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
After the slaying, Satomi’s killer, who was covered in blood, returned to her fellow students with the box cutter in hand.
—Christine Pelisek, People.com, 15 June 2025
There’s a cutter, the slider is good, there’s a changeup.
—Mike Digiovanna, Oc Register, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cutter
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Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2025
The United States Coast Guard cutter USCGC Stratton, left, conducts an exercise with the Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Spey, right, in the East China Sea on June 1, 2025.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
After the slaying, Satomi’s killer, who was covered in blood, returned to her fellow students with the box cutter in hand.
—Christine Pelisek, People.com, 15 June 2025
There’s a cutter, the slider is good, there’s a changeup.
—Mike Digiovanna, Oc Register, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cutter
Cite this Entry
“Cutter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cutter. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cutter
noun
cut·ter
ˈkət-ər 
1
: one that cuts
a diamond cutter
a cookie cutter
2
a
: a ship's boat for carrying supplies or passengers
b
: a small sailing boat with one mast
c
: a small armed boat in government service
3
: a small sleigh
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