A Tier Is a Row Ranked Above Another
A tier is a level in a series. The word came from French for a rank or order.
A tier is one of a series of rows or levels placed one above another. What distinguishes it from a mere layer is ranking: tiers are ordered, with each above or below the others in a hierarchy as well as in space. A wedding cake has tiers, a theatre has tiers of seating, and a *tiered* pricing system charges by level. The word came from Old French *tire*, a rank or order, and it has nothing to do with *tire* or *tier* meaning one who ties.
- A level. *The top tier.*
- A row of seats. *The upper tier.*
- A rank. *A tier of management.*
- Tiered. *Tiered pricing.*
- Old French — *tire*, a rank. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | tier | A tier. |
| Plural | tiers | Tiers. |
| Adjective | tiered | Tiered. |
| Related | tirade | A tirade. |
| Old French | tire | A rank. |
- A three-tier cake.Levels.
- Seats in the upper tier.Theatre.
- Tiered pricing.Business.
Tier, layer, level, stratum
- Tier — a ranked row, ordered above or below others
- Layer — a thickness of material, with no ranking implied
- Level — a height or a degree, physical or abstract
- Stratum — a geological or social layer
- Storey — a level of a building
Old French *tire*, a rank, order or sequence, of uncertain earlier origin.
What is the difference between a tier and a layer?
A tier is ranked, positioned above or below others in an order. A layer is simply a thickness of material.
Is tier related to tire?
No. The wheel covering and the verb meaning to weary are separate words entirely.