harvester

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "harvester" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a person or machine that gathers crops or resources, often in an agricultural or data context. Example: "The harvester moved through the fields, collecting the ripe wheat ready for harvest."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

I still like nothing better than driving a combine harvester at harvest time.

Independent

They are harvested from September through November, almost always by multirow harvester machines.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Designers of harvesting machinery have been working to develop a multiple-picking harvester capable of adjustment for use with more than one crop.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Even as a world's lonely eyes turn to Zurich, the unstoppable force of the Rumour Mill ploughs on, like a massive nonsense combine harvester, churning up everything in its path and making us all ponder what exactly it is we're doing here.

The Guardian - Sport

"It is looking exceptional this year," says William Pitts, as the torrent of golden wheat ears sweeps into the flashing blades below the cab of his combine harvester.

The Guardian

His farm is already hi-tech, with the laser-guided combine harvester and a satellite-monitored fertiliser regime, but he agrees more is needed.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

11 human-written examples

Even in defeat Mr Yadav was still the state's most effective vote-harvester, possessing a charisma that Mr Kumar lacks.

The Economist

He wouldn't be at all surprised if in a year or two such an opinion-harvester were bundled with a program-trading system to create a money-spinning killer app.

The Economist

The opening pages of "Hun Sen, Strongman of Cambodia", a flattering 1999 biography by Harish and Julie Mehta, describe him descending by helicopter on a rural paddy-field and, after hugging some grannies and babies, showing off his skills as a rice-harvester.

The Economist

Foxlow's salad-bar selection is abundant and Harvester-shamingly fine; a sharp, Nordic slaw; vivid roasted veg tossed with toasted seeds and dukkah.

Independent

Last month, the N. Y. State College of Agriculture of Cornell University announced the construction of a mechanical grape-harvester that can collect as much as five tons of fruit in an hour.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider context: "harvester" applies to both machines and people, so make sure to provide enough context to avoid ambiguity. For example, specify "combine harvester" for machinery and "grain harvester" when talking about a person involved in that activity.

Common error

Avoid using "harvester" as a blanket term for all farm equipment. Be specific. A "combine harvester" is different from a "tractor" or a "plow".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "harvester" is as a noun, referring to either a person or a machine that gathers crops. This is supported by Ludwig's examples, where it is used in contexts ranging from agriculture to technology.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Encyclopedias

30%

Science

22%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "harvester" is a common noun referring to either a person or machine that gathers or collects, particularly in agricultural contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread use. While it can apply to various contexts, including technology, it's often used to describe agricultural machinery, especially combine harvesters. To avoid ambiguity, specifying "combine harvester" for the machine is best. Related terms include "reaper" and "gatherer". Its usage spans news media and encyclopedias, reflecting a neutral register.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reaper

Focuses specifically on the act of cutting and gathering crops, primarily grains.

gatherer

Emphasizes the general act of collecting items or resources.

collector

Highlights the act of accumulating items, often for a specific purpose.

combine

Refers to a specific type of agricultural machine used for harvesting.

gleaner

Implies collecting leftover crops after the main harvest.

crop-gathering machine

More descriptive, specifying the purpose of the machine as related to crops.

resource extractor

Broadly describes a tool or entity that removes resources from a source.

seed collector

Specifically collects seeds, typically for agricultural or scientific purposes.

energy scavenger

Collects wasted energy and uses it.

data miner

Extracts relevant information from a large pool of data.

FAQs

How is "harvester" used in agriculture?

In agriculture, a "harvester" refers to a person or a machine that gathers crops. Specifically, a "combine harvester" is a machine that combines the tasks of reaping, threshing, and winnowing.

What's another word for a person who harvests crops?

A general term is "gatherer". If referring specifically to grain, "reaper" is also appropriate.

Can "harvester" refer to something other than agriculture?

Yes, "harvester" can also refer to something that collects or extracts resources, like an "energy harvester" or even a "data miner".

Is it correct to use "harvester" to describe a modern farming machine?

Yes, but using "combine harvester" offers much greater clarity, as "harvester" alone might be misconstrued as a general term for someone involved in harvesting or other types of agricultural machinery.