tractor

noun

trac·​tor ˈtrak-tər How to pronounce tractor (audio)
Synonyms of tractornext
1
a
: a 4-wheeled or tracklaying automotive vehicle used especially for drawing farm equipment
b
: a smaller 2-wheeled apparatus controlled through handlebars by a walking operator
c
: truck entry 1 sense 1b
2
: an airplane having the propeller forward of the main supporting surfaces

Illustration of tractor

Illustration of tractor
  • tractor 1a

Examples of tractor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Peck said officials with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection responded to the scene because of the amount of fluids that leaked during the collisions and a possible diesel fuel leak involving the tractor-trailer. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026 High costs for tractors, seeds, fertilizer and fuel have left many expecting to lose money. — Bloomberg, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 Deere — The tractor builder rose 1% after Baird upgraded the stock to outperform from neutral . — Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026 Across the region, homes, vehicles and farm tractors still lay partially buried in mud. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tractor

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin trahere

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of tractor was in 1900

Phrases Containing tractor

Rhymes for tractor

See All Rhymes for tractor

Browse Nearby Words

tractive effort
tractor
tractoration
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tractor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tractor. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tractor

noun
trac·​tor ˈtrak-tər How to pronounce tractor (audio)
1
: a vehicle that has large rear wheels or moves on tracks and is used especially for pulling farm implements
2
: a short truck with no body used in combination with a trailer for hauling freight

Medical Definition

tractor

noun
trac·​tor ˈtrak-tər How to pronounce tractor (audio)
: an instrument used to exert traction on a body part or tissue (as in surgical procedures)
a urethral tractor

More from Merriam-Webster on tractor

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tractor

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tractor

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