miller
nouncommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈmɪləː//
- United Kingdom/[ˈmɪləː]/
- United States//ˈmɪlɚ//
- United States/[ˈmɪlɚ] ~ [ˈmɪlɹ̩]/
A person who owns or operates a mill, especially a flourmill.
noun
- 1
A person who owns or operates a mill, especially a flourmill.
Constable's father, a wealthy miller, operated the mill at Flatford, which still stands 1 mile south of the village.
- 2
datedA milling machine.
Besides the usual run of machines, planers, millers, automatics, centre lathes, cranes, etc., there were several power stations, the rolling mills for strip material and for 60 ft. rails, and all the steel furnaces with their complicated systems of flues. If variety is the spice of life, then there was plenty here.
- 3
Any of several moths that have powdery wings, especially Acronicta leporina and moths of the genus Agrotis.
- 4
A floury-smelling mushroom, Clitopilus prunulus.
- 5
archaicA rat.
- 6
informalA moth.
Etymology
From Middle English myllere, mellere, from earlier mylnere, possibly from an Old English *mylnere, from Proto-West Germanic *mulīnārī (“miller”), equivalent to mill + -er; cf. also Late Latin molīnārius (“miller”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Muller, Dutch mulder, molenaar, German Low German Möller, German Müller, Müllner, Danish møller, Norwegian Bokmål møller, Norwegian Nynorsk mylnar, møllar, Swedish mjölnare, Icelandic mylnari. Compare also Middle English milward, mulward (“miller”), from Old English mylenweard (“miller”, literally “mill-keeper”) (> English Millward (surname)).
Forms
- plural
- millers
miller · A person who owns or operates a mill, especially a flourmill.
Miller · An English and Scottish surname originating as an occupation…millie · A harshly-spoken working-class woman, often unemployed.Millie · A diminutive of the female given names Mildred, Millicent,…