Trigger Comes From the Dutch for Puller
A trigger sets something off. The word came from Dutch, and modern English has extended it to anything that starts a reaction.
A trigger is the lever that fires a gun, and by extension anything that sets off a reaction. The word came from Dutch *trekker*, a puller, from *trekken*, to pull. Modern usage has widened it considerably: an allergy trigger, a trigger for a market fall, and a trigger warning about distressing content.
- The lever that fires a gun. *Squeeze the trigger.*
- Something that starts a reaction. *A migraine trigger.*
- To set off. *The alarm was triggered.*
- Trigger warning — a notice about distressing content. *A trigger warning at the start.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | trigger | A hair trigger. |
| Plural | triggers | Common triggers. |
| Verb | trigger | Trigger an alarm. |
| Past | triggered | Triggered by heat. |
| Compound | trigger point | A trigger point. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Bright light triggers her migraines.Medical.
- The clause is triggered by a change of control.Contracts.
- He has a hair trigger.Reacts very quickly, usually with anger.
Trigger in different fields
- Firearms — the lever that releases the mechanism
- Medicine — something that provokes symptoms
- Law — an event that activates a clause
- Computing — code that runs when a condition is met
- Psychology — a stimulus prompting a strong reaction
From Dutch *trekker*, a puller, from *trekken*, to pull. English recorded it as *tricker* in the seventeenth century before settling on the modern form.
What is a trigger warning?
A notice that material may distress people with particular experiences. Their usefulness is debated, and research findings are mixed.
What does *hair trigger* mean?
A trigger requiring almost no pressure, and figuratively a person who reacts instantly.