early 14c., "one who cuts grass with a scythe," agent noun from mow (v.). Mechanical sense is from 1852.
Entries linking to mower
mow v.
Old English mawan "to cut (grass, etc.) with a scythe or other sharp instrument" (class VII strong verb; past tense meow, past participle mawen), from Proto-Germanic *mæanan (source also of Middle Low German maeyen, Dutch maaien, Old High German maen, German mähen "to mow," Old English mæd "meadow"), from PIE root *me- (4) "to cut down grass or grain." Related: Mowed; mown; mowing.
lawn-mower n.
1853 as a type of machine to cut grass, from lawn (n.1) + mower. Originally pushed by hand or drawn by horses, later also powered by a motor.