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Synonyms

hawker

1 American  
[haw-ker] / ˈhɔ kər /

noun

  1. a person who hunts with hawks or other birds of prey.


hawker 2 American  
[haw-ker] / ˈhɔ kər /

noun

  1. a person who peddles or hawks wares by shouting their offerings in the street or going from door to door; peddler.


hawker 1 British  
/ ˈhɔːkə /

noun

  1. a person who travels from place to place selling goods

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

hawker 2 British  
/ ˈhɔːkə /

noun

  1. a person who hunts with hawks, falcons, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of hawker1

before 1000; Middle English; Old English hafecere. See hawk 1, -er 1

Origin of hawker2

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Middle Low German haker “retail dealer”; akin to Middle Dutch hac in same sense; cf. huckster

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The ding on the movie is that Timothée Chalamet’s self-centered striver isn’t that different from Adam Sandler’s diamond hawker in “Uncut Gems.”

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 22, 2026

Accordingly, it is therefore unlikely that the ancestor of the barbastelle was a loud hawker that evolved into the whispering barbastelle as a response to insect hearing.

From Science Daily Oct. 27, 2023

The hawker tells the BBC it is unfortunate the government has broken its promises.

From BBC Jul. 18, 2023

Shanghai is seeking public opinion on revising hawker regulations and in April said it had set up 74 spots for vendors.

From Reuters May 30, 2023

A hawker with a tray balanced on her head ambled past.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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