What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Cotter vs Cutter - What's the difference?

cotter | cutter |

As nouns the difference between cotter and cutter

is that cotter is (mechanical engineering) a pin or wedge inserted through a slot to hold machine parts together or cotter can be a peasant who performed labour in exchange for the right to live in a cottage while cutter is a person or device that cuts (in various senses).

As a verb cotter

is to fasten with a cotter.

cotter

English

Etymology 1

Noun

(en noun)
  • (mechanical engineering) A pin or wedge inserted through a slot to hold machine parts together.
  • (informal) a cotter pin.
    • Usage notes
    The terms cotter' and "cotter pin" are sometimes used interchangeably, although they have different functions. Basically a '''cotter''' holds parts together and a "cotter pin" holds the ' cotter in its place. For a more detailed explanation see Wikipedia articles on (cotter) and (cotter pin).
    Related terms
    * cotter pin

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To fasten with a cotter.

    • Etymology 2

    Equivalent to .

    Alternative forms

    * cottar

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A peasant who performed labour in exchange for the right to live in a cottage.
    • Synonyms
    * (l) * (l)

    cutter

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person or device that cuts (in various senses).
    • a stone cutter'''; a die '''cutter
  • * 1988 , Jorge Amado, Home is the Sailor (page 55)
    • Chico Pacheco kept repeating the phrase between clenched teeth, lamenting the wasted days of his youth; he had been a notorious cutter of classes.
  • (nautical) A single-masted, fore-and-aft rigged, sailing vessel with at least two headsails, and a mast set further aft than that of a sloop.
  • A foretooth; an incisor.
    • (Ray)
  • A heavy-duty motor boat for official use.
    • a coastguard cutter .
  • (nautical) A ship's boat, used for transport ship-to-ship or ship-to-shore.
  • (cricket) A ball that moves sideways in the air, or off the pitch, because it has been cut.
  • (baseball) A cut fastball.
  • (slang) A ten-pence piece. So named because it is the coin most often sharpened by prison inmates to use as a weapon.
  • (slang) A person who practices self-injury.
  • (obsolete) An officer in the exchequer who notes by cutting on the tallies the sums paid.
  • (obsolete) A ruffian; a bravo; a destroyer.
  • (obsolete) A kind of soft yellow brick, easily cut, and used for facework.
  • A light sleigh drawn by one horse.
  • * 2007 , Carrie A. Meyer, Days on the Family Farm , U of Minnesota Press, page 55 [http://books.google.com/books?id=IaJGWqZk7fYC&pg=RA1-PA55&dq=cutter+snow+horse]:
    • Throughout much of the winter, the sled or the cutter' was the vehicle of choice. Emily and Joseph had a ' cutter , for traveling in style in snow.

    Derived terms

    * glass cutter * wire cutters