sticker

American  

[stik-er] / ˈstɪk ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that sticks.

2. an adhesive label.

3. Informal. sticker price.

4. something, as a problem or riddle, that puzzles or nonpluses one.

5. Slang. a knife, especially one used as a weapon by a criminal.

6. a worker who kills animals in a slaughterhouse by piercing the jugular vein with a pointed instrument.

7. a bur, thorn, or the like.

---

adjective

1. of or relating to the sticker price of an automobile.

   Customers are experiencing sticker shock at the high price of new cars.

verb (used with object)

1. to place a sticker on.

sticker British  

/ ˈstɪkə /

noun

1. an adhesive label, poster, or paper

2. a person or thing that sticks

3. a persevering or industrious person

4. something prickly, such as a thorn, that clings to one's clothing, etc

5. informal something that perplexes

6. informal a knife used for stabbing or piercing

---

Etymology

Origin of sticker

First recorded in 1575–85; stick ² + -er ¹

Explanation

A sticker is a label or a decoration with a sticky back, so it can be pasted anywhere. If you're a big fan of superheroes, you might cover your notebooks with Wonder Woman stickers. Sticker usually refers to the kitten stickers your brother sticks on his bedroom windows or the adhesive labels that you peel off your banana. Some plants also have stickers (also known as burrs, prickles, or thorns) — the kind that get stuck in your sweater after a walk in the woods. The term sticker price means the listed price for a car or some other item offered for sale.

Example Sentences

Sticker prices at elite universities nationwide are approaching $100,000 in total costs a year, topping the average U.S. household income.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Sticker shock is part of the nuclear tradition.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

Det Supt Jon Bancroft said: "I can categorically state that we have recovered remains believed to be those of Daniel Coleman only from an area of woodland in Sticker."

From BBC • Jul. 25, 2025

In front of the portrait, a nameplate read “Christopher DeLoach. Bumper Sticker Magnate.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2025

Roger Sticker, our local reporter, is nervous, smiling, talking fast.

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

Related Words

• amount
• bill
• cost
• demand
• discount
• estimate
• expenditure
• expense
• fare
• fee
• figure
• output
• pay
• payment
• premium
• rate
• return
• tariff
• valuation
• worth