Shifter Meaning
/ʃˈɪftər/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounOne who, or that which, shifts or changes.
nounA word whose meaning changes depending on the situation, as by deixis.
Sentence Examples
He moved the gear shifter to put the car into reverse.
A shifter is a device used to change gears in a motor vehicle.
He replaced the broken gear shifter in his sports car.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The mechanic replaced the broken gear ____ in the old manual truck.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The driver replaced the broken gear ____ to ensure the car could change speeds smoothly.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English shift English -er English shifter From shift + -er.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The cigarette is analogous to what linguists call a shifter, like the word I ; this device for expressing the irreducible particularity of my innermost self is universally available to every speaker and is thus the least particular thing in the world. The smoker manipulates the cigarette, like the word I, to tell stories to him/herself about him/herself — or to an other."
— 1995, Richard Klein, “Introduction”, in Cigarettes are sublime, Paperback edition, Durham: Duke University Press, published 1993, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 9:
"'Twas ſuch a ſhifter, that if truth were known, / Death was half glad when he had got him down;"
— 1646 (indicated as 1645), John Milton, “On the Univerſity Carrier […] ”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], →OCLC, page 28:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The mechanic replaced the broken gear ____ in the old manual truck.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The driver replaced the broken gear ____ to ensure the car could change speeds smoothly.