getter

Etymology

get + -er

noun

1. One who, or that which, gets.
   Many times things would open in him to admiration, showing to rich men and the eager getters of this world, the danger they were in of hurting themselves, by hindering their growth in the truth. 1838, William Evans, Thomas Evans, The Friends' Library
   In any case, now we have defined the identities and established the unique characteristics of all types of gift givers and gift getters. 2009, Jodi Newbern, Regifting Revival!: A Guide to Reusing Gifts Graciously, page 15
2. (object-oriented programming) A function used to retrieve the value of some property of an object, contrasted with the setter.
   A proper getter must return the type of its attribute. 2002, James Steven Perry, chapter 2, in Java Management Extensions, page 47
3. (sciences) A material which is included in a vacuum system or device for removing gas by sorption.
   Titanium has become the preferred getter for general vacuum-pumping applications because of its relatively high vapor pressure characteristic and its broad spectrum chemical reactivity. 1979, G. L. Weissler, Robert Warner Carlson, chapter 5, in Vacuum Physics and Technology, pages 194–195
4. (mining, historical) A miner who dug coal, contrasted with the putter, who took it to the surface.

verb

1. (sciences) To remove gas by sorption.
   Many reactive metals rapidly pump large quantities of active gases because they getter (react with) the gases. 2003, John F. O'Hanlon, chapter 14, in A Users Guide to Vacuum Technology, page 247