What does texter mean?
Texter is an informal noun with two closely related meanings. Its everyday sense is a person who sends text messages, usually from a mobile phone; in this use, the word can be affectionate, neutral, or mildly critical depending on context. For example, describing someone as a “constant texter” may suggest an enthusiastic communicator, while mentioning that they are a texter during a meeting can imply that their attention is directed to their phone. A less common dictionary sense is a device or software application used to send text messages. The word belongs to the vocabulary of mobile communication and is familiar in everyday English-speaking contexts. “Texter” is related to “text,” but it is not simply another word for a written message: it identifies the sender or the sending equipment. In formal writing, “text-message user” or “person who sends text messages” may sound clearer. The term also distinguishes mobile-phone communication from email, although texting now occurs across many platforms.
nounA texter is a person who sends text messages, especially on a mobile phone. In some dictionaries, a texter is also a device or application used to send text messages.
- A person who sends text messages, especially on a mobile phone.
- A device or software application used to send text messages.
"She replied immediately, proving she was a quick texter."
"I was trying to study, but my texter kept responding to every message."
"The company developed a compact texter for emergency communications."
The standard plural is “texters,” referring to multiple people who send text messages.
"The students were all prolific texters."
One word does two jobs: a texter can be the person tapping out a message or the device sending it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does texter come from?
Texter is formed from text plus the suffix -er, which can indicate an agent or a device. Text ultimately comes from Latin textus, “written thing,” a development related to texere, “to weave”; words such as textile, texture, and context preserve that same root. The modern messaging sense developed later, as electronic and mobile text messaging became common in the late 20th century.
How texter is actually used
The word is mostly informal and is especially associated with mobile-phone messaging. Its connotation can range from affectionate to mildly dismissive, depending on context.
Easily confused with texter
A text is the written message itself, whereas a texter is the person who sends it or, less commonly, the device used to send it.