bearer

American  

[bair-er] / ˈbɛər ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that carries, upholds, or brings.

   The postman was the bearer of wonderful news today.

   It's not fair to you to be the only bearer of the household cares.

2. the person who presents an order for money or goods.

   Pay to the bearer.

3. a tree or plant that yields fruit or flowers.

4. the holder of rank or office; incumbent.

5. pallbearer.

6. a boy or man employed as a personal or household servant, especially in a colonial household in India.

   There were dozens of bearers on the safari.

7. Printing.

   1. furniture.

   2. one of several strips of metal fitted at the sides of a plate for support during inking and proving.

8. a joistlike member supporting the floorboards of a scaffold.

9. Furniture. bearing rail.

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bearer British  

/ ˈbɛərə /

noun

1. a person or thing that bears, presents, or upholds

2. a person who presents a note or bill for payment

3. 1. a native carrier, esp on an expedition

   2. a native servant

4. See pallbearer

5. the holder of a rank, position, office, etc

6. (modifier) finance payable to the person in possession

   bearer bonds

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Etymology

Origin of bearer

First recorded in 1250–1300; bear ¹, + -er ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

A bearer is a person who carries or delivers something. If you hate to be the bearer of bad news, don't become a traffic cop. If you're the flag bearer in a parade, it means you march at the front gripping a flag, and a coffin bearer holds one end of the coffin at a funeral. You'll often find the word in the phrase "bearer of bad news" or "bearer of bad tidings." In the mid-17th century, the word bearer was primarily used to mean "person who carried dead bodies to the grave."

Example Sentences

"I thank the flag bearer of our national team at the Winter Olympics, Vladyslav Heraskevych, for reminding the world of the price of our struggle," Zelenksy said on X.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

“Michele and the Spirit leadership spoke about the vision for the franchise, creating sustainable success, implementing innovation and being a standard bearer for women’s sports,” Johnson wrote on X following Thursday’s event.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2026

His admiration for HBO is well-established, and it would be an unwise business strategy to kill or diminish prestige TV’s standard bearer after acquiring it.

From Salon • Dec. 10, 2025

She was thrilled to be a chalice bearer at the event but said she was stunned by the bishop's behaviour at their first meeting soon afterwards.

From BBC • Dec. 9, 2025

When the water bearer arrived, at the end of his rounds, to fill Bibi's urn in the storage room, we instructed her to say “How do you do?”

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri