1. A tool that has a handle and allows someone to pick up things on the floor and to hold it without having to bend down: Because of his bad back, John found it much more convenient to use a gripper to pick up small items that fell down instead of bending down to get them.
2. A part of a device that grasps or holds an object: There are a variety of grippers that use suction cups, magnets, and other features to pick up and to hold objects that have fallen to the floor so a person can continue to stand up instead leaning down to get them and even to get a-hold of things that are too high to reach on a shelf.