spreader

/ˈsprɛdər/
noun
  1. A tool or machine used to spread something, such as fertilizer, salt, or paint.
    • The farmer used a fertilizer spreader to cover the field evenly.
    • I borrowed a salt spreader from my neighbor to clear the icy driveway.
    • The painter attached a spreader to the roller for a smoother finish.
  2. A person or thing that spreads something, such as information or disease.
    • Mosquitoes are known as spreaders of diseases like malaria.
    • He was a notorious spreader of rumors in the office.
    • The news spreader posted the story on social media before anyone else.
  3. A device used to separate or keep things apart, such as a tool for spreading the legs of a tripod or a bar for spreading the chains on a swing.
    • He used a spreader to widen the gap between the fence posts.
    • The swing set had a metal spreader to keep the chains from tangling.
    • The photographer adjusted the spreader on the tripod to make it more stable.
Antonyms