tinker C1 Topic:House & Home US /ˈtɪŋkɚ/ UK /ˈtɪŋkə(ɹ)/ See IPA manual Minimal pairs Sounds like thinker /θ/ vs /t/ Freq #12417 Meanings 1 verb To make small adjustments to something, often without a clear plan, to try to fix or improve it. He spent the afternoon tinkering with the engine of his old car. 2 noun A person who enjoys experimenting with and repairing machines. She was a natural tinker who could take apart any gadget and put it back together. 3 noun A traveling person who once mended pots, pans, and other metal household items for a living. In the old days, a tinker would come through the village to repair worn-out kettles. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to make small adjustments... fiddle 2 noun · a person who enjoys... tinkerer Word family Forms tinkeredtinkeringtinkers Derived forms tinkerer Etymology AI details From Middle English tynkere, perhaps from Old English *tincere, from tin (“tin”) + *cere, as in bēocere (“beekeeper”). tynkere Middle English *tincere Old English View etymology graph -> Topics House & Home Cause, Change & Process Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # tinker **Type:** Word **Level:** C1 **Part of speech:** verb, noun **IPA (US):** /ˈtɪŋkɚ/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈtɪŋkə(ɹ)/ **Frequency rank:** 12417 ## Meanings 1. To make small adjustments to something, often without a clear plan, to try to fix or improve it. 2. A person who enjoys experimenting with and repairing machines. 3. A traveling person who once mended pots, pans, and other metal household items for a living. ## Examples - He spent the afternoon tinkering with the engine of his old car. - She was a natural tinker who could take apart any gadget and put it back together. - In the old days, a tinker would come through the village to repair worn-out kettles. ## Derived Forms - tinkerer ## Roots and Affixes - Root: tynkere - Root: *tincere ## Etymology From Middle English tynkere, perhaps from Old English *tincere, from tin (“tin”) + *cere, as in bēocere (“beekeeper”). ## AI Etymology Tinker is from Middle English tynkere, perhaps from Old English *tincere, from tin (“tin”) + *cere, as in bēocere (“beekeeper”). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern verbal form is built from the named base and affix. In present-day use, it can mean to make small adjustments to something, often without a clear plan, to try to fix or improve it, or a person who enjoys experimenting with and repairing machines. Derived formations include tinkerer. ## Topics - House & Home - Cause, Change & Process - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown