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See also: Tinker



From Middle English tinkere, perhaps from Old English *tincere, from tin (tin) + Old English *cere (as in bēocere (beekeeper)), from Proto-Germanic *kazjaz (vessel-maker), from Proto-Germanic *kazą (vessel; vat; tub).



tinker (plural tinkers)

  1. An itinerant tinsmith and mender of household utensils made of tin.
  2. (dated, chiefly Britain and Ireland, offensive) A member of the Irish Traveller community. A gypsy.
  3. (usually with "little") A mischievous person, especially a playful, impish youngster.
  4. Someone who repairs, or attempts repair on anything mechanical or who invents (someone who tinkers); a tinkerer.
  5. The act of repair or invention.
  6. (military, obsolete) A hand mortar.
  7. Any of various fish: the chub mackerel, the silverside, the skate, or a young mackerel about two years old.
  8. A bird, the razor-billed auk.




tinker (third-person singular simple present tinkers, present participle tinkering, simple past and past participle tinkered)

  1. (intransitive) To fiddle with something in an attempt to fix, mend or improve it, especially in an experimental or unskilled manner.
  2. (intransitive) To work as a tinker.


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