tier
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.one of several levels in an organization or system.
n.a rank, grade, or stratum within a hierarchical structure.
Simple“The wedding cake had three tiers, each decorated with white flowers.”
In context“The government introduced a three-tier system of restrictions to manage the regional health crisis more effectively.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a row of seats where each row is higher than the one in front.
n.a row or range of structures, especially seating, arranged at a higher or lower level than another.
Simple“We sat in the upper tier of the stadium to get a better view of the pitch.”
In context“The ancient amphitheatre featured multiple tiers of stone seating designed to provide perfect acoustics for every spectator.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
v.to organize things into different levels or layers.
v.to arrange or stack items in overlapping or sequential layers.
Simple“The gardener decided to tier the plants so the smaller ones were in front.”
In context“The landscape architect chose to tier the garden beds along the slope to prevent soil erosion during heavy rains.”
UsageOften used in the passive voice or as a past participle adjective.
- 04 C1 Advanced
v.to move computer data between different types of storage to save money or space.
v.to move data between different storage media as an optimization strategy based on access frequency.
Simple“The system will automatically tier your files to the cloud if you don't use them often.”
In context“By implementing a policy to tier cold data to cheaper archival storage, the company significantly reduced its monthly infrastructure costs.”
“All played professionally across Scotland and England but only including tiers one, three and four in England.”
“Goals were no problem last season: Coventry were the highest scorers in English football’s top four tiers with 97.”
From tie + -er.
From Middle French tier, from Old French tire (“rank, sequence, order, kind”), probably from tirer (“to draw, draw out”). Alternatively, from a Germanic source related to Middle English tir (“honour, glory, power, rule”), Old English tīr (“glory, honour, fame”), Old Norse tírr (“glory, honour, renown”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.