Meaning & use
watchmaker
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Meaning
nouncountable
A person whose job is to make, repair, or adjust watches.
Grammar: Countable noun: use 'a' or a plural: 'She is a watchmaker.' / 'Two watchmakers work here.'
Patterns
- a skilled watchmaker
- take a watch to a watchmaker
- work as a watchmaker
The watchmaker replaced the tiny spring and the watch worked again.
He trained as a watchmaker in Switzerland for five years.
There is only one watchmaker left in our town who can fix antique watches.
Word forms
| plural | watchmakers |
|---|
Common combinations
- skilled watchmaker
- A skilled watchmaker can repair a movement that is a hundred years old.
- take a watch to a watchmaker
- I had to take my watch to a watchmaker because it kept stopping.
- master watchmaker
- The master watchmaker spent hours adjusting the balance wheel.
- watchmaker's shop
- We found a small watchmaker's shop near the station.
Synonyms and how they differ
- horologist
- A formal, technical word for someone who studies or makes timepieces; it can include clocks as well as watches.
- clockmaker
- This person makes and repairs clocks, not usually watches.
- repairer
- A general word for anyone who fixes things; it does not show that the person works on watches.
Word family
- watchmaking noun
- The craft or industry of making watches.
- watch noun
- A small clock you wear on your wrist.
Commonly confused: watchmaker or clockmaker? watchmaker or watchman?
watchmaker vs clockmaker
A clockmaker works on clocks, which are usually larger and not worn; a watchmaker works on watches.
watchmaker vs watchman
A watchman is a guard who protects a building at night, not someone who makes watches.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'watchmaker' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A watchmaker works on the inside of watches, such as gears. Option 0 describes a clockmaker's job; option 1 is a simple strap change anyone could do; option 3 describes a watchman.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “watchmaker”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.