Winders

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An object or mechanism designed to assist in rolling up or winding something like a rope or film
2. A term that can refer to devices that help in managing lengths of material, particularly for storage
3. A plural form of an implement used for curling or winding strands, like in various crafting or mechanical contexts

Etymology: "Winders" is the plural of "winder," a reel or device on which thread, yarn or cord is wound. The word is built from "wind," the verb meaning to coil or twist something around an axis, plus the suffix "-er," which marks a person or thing that performs an action. A winder, in other words, is the thing that does the winding. The noun "wind" traces back through Old English "wind" to a Proto-Germanic root, and its relatives are found across the Germanic languages. The ending "-er" has a longer journey: it came into English through Old French from Latin "-arius," an ending meaning "one connected with" something, and it was attached to native English words throughout the medieval period. Middle English "wynder" shows the same pattern, so the word is a native English formation rather than a borrowing. Winders are related to the verb "winnow," which once meant to separate grain from chaff by blowing air through it. Both words share an older sense of moving or turning in the wind, though the two developed in different directions.

Synonyms: spoolers, reels, coilers