sorter

/ˈsɔː.tər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɔːr.t̬ɚ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsȯr|tər, -ȯ(ə)|tə(r, |tə-/ (ame, mw)

sorter — noun

1. a worker whose job is to put letters, parcels, or paperwork into the right group

1.名詞B2
釋義

a worker whose job is to put letters, parcels, or paperwork into the right groups before they go on to the next stage.

例句

Hari worked the night shift as a parcel sorter at the airport mail centre.

compound noun: parcel sorter / mail sorter

The post office hired six extra sorters to cope with the Christmas rush.

plural use with workplace as subject

同義詞
  • classifier

    more technical; used for people who grade goods like wool or fruit

  • grader

    specifically someone who ranks items by quality

文法句型

a sorter of [items]

用法筆記

Often appears as a compound (mail sorter, parcel sorter, document sorter) naming the items handled. Distinguish from sense 2 (the machine) by the human-job context.

常見錯誤

❌She is a sorter at the office, she sorts all the mail at 5 a.m.
✅She is a mail sorter and starts work at 5 a.m.
💡the compound form (mail / parcel sorter) is much more natural than bare 'a sorter'.

2. a machine that automatically separates items such as letters, coins, or recyclin

2.名詞B2
釋義

a machine that automatically separates items such as letters, coins, or recycling into different groups by size, shape, or some other feature.

例句

The new optical sorter at the recycling plant can separate plastic from glass in seconds.

compound: optical sorter; technical context

Erik installed a coin sorter behind the bank counter to speed up the daily count.

compound: coin sorter

同義詞
  • separator

    wider term; any device that divides one material from another

  • sorting machine

    plain, fully descriptive alternative

文法句型

[type] sorter

a sorter for [items]

用法筆記

Almost always preceded by a modifier naming what it sorts (coin sorter, grain sorter, optical sorter). Subject of action verbs like 'separates', 'scans', 'pushes'; distinguishes from sense 1 by the inanimate, machine context.

常見錯誤

❌I bought a sorter for my office.
✅I bought a coin sorter for my office.
💡the bare word 'sorter' is too vague for a machine; specify what it sorts.