noun
- a person or thing that carries, upholds, or brings: dozens of bearers on the safari.
- the person who presents an order for money or goods: Pay to the bearer.
- a tree or plant that yields fruit or flowers.
- the holder of rank or office; incumbent.
- pallbearer.
- (especially in India) a native boy or man employed as a personal or household servant.
- Printing.
- furniture(def 4).
- one of several strips of metal fitted at the sides of a plate for support during inking and proving.
- a joistlike member supporting the floorboards of a scaffold.
- Furniture. bearing rail.
noun
- a person or thing that bears, presents, or upholds
- a person who presents a note or bill for payment
- (formerly, in Africa, India, etc)
- a native carrier, esp on an expedition
- a native servant
- See pallbearer
- the holder of a rank, position, office, etc
- (modifier) finance payable to the person in possessionbearer bonds
Old English -berere (in water-berere), agent noun from bear (v.). Meaning “one who helps carry a corpse to the grave” is from 1630s.