reaper

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a person who cuts and gathers a crop, especially grain

   Each reaper moved down the field with a sickle and bound the cut wheat into sheaves.

2. 2
   noun

   a machine that cuts and gathers crops

   The mechanical reaper allowed the farm to harvest a much larger acreage.

From Middle English reper and Old English ripere, formed from reap + -er. It first named the worker who cut grain and was later transferred to machinery performing the same task.

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