tiller

¹ American  

[til-er] / ˈtɪl ər /

noun

1. a person who tills; farmer.

2. a person or thing that tills; cultivator.

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tiller ² American  

[til-er] / ˈtɪl ər /

noun

Nautical.

1. a bar or lever fitted to the head of a rudder, for turning the rudder in steering.

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tiller ³ American  

[til-er] / ˈtɪl ər /

noun

1. a plant shoot that springs from the root or bottom of the original stalk.

2. a sapling.

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verb (used without object)

1. (of a plant) to put forth new shoots from the root or around the bottom of the original stalk.

tiller ¹ British  

/ ˈtɪlə /

noun

1. a shoot that arises from the base of the stem in grasses

2. a less common name for sapling

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verb

1. (intr) (of a plant) to produce tillers

tiller ² British  

/ ˈtɪlə /

noun

1. nautical a handle fixed to the top of a rudderpost to serve as a lever in steering it

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Other Word Forms

• tillerless adjective

Etymology

Origin of tiller¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English tiller(e), tiliere; till ², -er ¹

Origin of tiller²

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English teler, telor, tiler(e) “the stock of a crossbow or firearm; tiller (for a boat),” from Old French telier, teiler “weaver's beam,” from Medieval Latin tēlārium, equivalent to Latin tēl(a) “cloth being woven on a loom; loom; plan, design” + -ārium -ary

Origin of tiller³

First recorded before 1000; Old English telgor, tealgor “twig, shoot,” (not recorded in Middle English ); akin to Old English telga “branch, bough,” Old Norse tjalga “twig, branch,” Dutch telg

Example Sentences

In particular, the rear-axle steering—standard equipment on the Turbo S—puts a huge tiller in the water, giving the Turbo S an easy, trust-building precision as the cornering loads build.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025

It would have worked if supply and demand were holding the tiller.

From Salon • May 28, 2024

While elections provide an opportunity for voters to fine-tune, or even overhaul government, there is also value in institutional knowledge and keeping a steady hand on the tiller during times of great upheaval.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 6, 2023

The central bank, led by Elvira Nabiullina, kept a steady hand on the tiller despite losing access to around $300 billion worth of international reserves.

From Reuters • Feb. 23, 2023

“A little more to the wests,” she said, and Irian took the tiller.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

Related Words

• grower
• laborer
• peasant
• producer
• rancher