Etymology 1
pitch + -er, from Middle English picchen, pycchen (to thrust in, fasten, settle), from Old English *piċċan, from Proto-West Germanic *pikkijan, a variant of Proto-West Germanic *pikkōn (to pick, peck), whence Middle English pikken, picken (to pick, pierce), modern English pick.
Noun
pitcher (plural pitchers)
- One who pitches anything, as hay, quoits, a ball, etc.
- (baseball, softball) The player who delivers the ball to the batter.
- One who makes a pitch or proposal.
- The pitcher of the new film stands to earn millions.
Derived terms
- fly-pitcher
- relief pitcher
- starting pitcher
- switch pitcher
Etymology 2
From Middle English picher, from Old French pichier, pechier (small jug), bichier (compare modern French pichet), from Late Latin or Medieval Latin pīcārium, alteration of bīcārium, itself possibly from bacarium, bacar, or from Ancient Greek βῖκος or bîkos. Doublet of beaker.
Noun
pitcher (plural pitchers)
- A wide-mouthed, deep vessel for holding liquids, with a spout or protruding lip and a handle; a water jug or jar with a large ear or handle.
- (botany) A tubular or cuplike appendage or expansion of the leaves of certain plants, such as pitcher plants.
Derived terms
- pitcherful
- pitcher plant
Credits
New World Encyclopedia writers and editors copied and adjusted this Wiktionary entry in accordance with NWE standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit for this article is due to both New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions at Wiktionary is accessible to researchers here:
