Other forms: tiers
A tier is one level in a series stacked above each other. The top tier, a three-tier cake, tiered seating.
It is used of cakes, stadium seating, government and pricing — a tiered system charges different rates at different levels. In football, tier is the neutral word for a division's level. Note the homophone trap with tear; and that tier comes from the French for a row, which is also where attire comes from, both about things arranged in order.
1nountierOne level in a series stacked above each other.
“The wedding cake had three tiers, each decorated with sugar flowers.”
2nounsystemOne level in a system or ranking.
“The club was relegated to a lower tier of the league.”
tier is a level.
The word came from Old French tire, a rank or row, from tirer, to draw out. Attire is from the same word, both about arranging in order.
Proto-Indo-European
*dewk-
Proto-Germanic
*taugō
Proto-West Germanic
*taugu
Old English
tēag
Middle English
teye — cord, chain
English
tie
English, today
tier
Built from
From tie + -er. tie comes from Middle English teye (“cord, chain”), from Old English tēag, tēah (“cord, chain”), from Proto-West Germanic taugu, from Proto-Germanic taugō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dewk-. Compare Danish tov, Icelandic taug.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA