1. a basket or pannier carried on the back of a pack animal, especially a horse or mule
Usage: archaic; historical
2. a cloth or tapestry hung on the back of a throne or altar
Usage: archaic; ecclesiastical

Examples

• Medieval merchants used dorsers to transport goods across mountain passes.
• The pack mule carried two dorsers filled with supplies for the expedition.
• The cathedral's dorser was embroidered with gold thread and religious imagery.
• Traders in the 15th century relied on dorsers for long-distance commerce.
• The ornate dorser behind the altar added grandeur to the church interior.