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• hooker
  hooker

  noun

  a person or thing that hooks.
• Hooker
  Hooker

  noun

  Joseph, 1814–79, Union general in the U.S. Civil War.

hooker

¹ American  

[hook-er] / ˈhʊk ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that hooks.

2. Slang. prostitute.

3. Slang. a large drink of liquor.

4. Slang. a concealed problem, flaw, or drawback; a catch.

5. Rugby. a player who hooks the ball in the front line of scrummage.

6. (initial capital letter) a contemptuous term used to refer to an Amish Mennonite.

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hooker ² American  

[hook-er] / ˈhʊk ər /

noun

Nautical.

1. Slang. any old-fashioned or clumsy vessel.

2. any fishing vessel working with hooks and lines rather than nets.

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Hooker ³ American  

[hook-er] / ˈhʊk ər /

noun

1. Joseph, 1814–79, Union general in the U.S. Civil War.

2. Richard, 1554?–1600, English author and clergyman.

3. Thomas, 1586?–1647, English Puritan clergyman: one of the founders of the colony of Connecticut.

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hooker ¹ British  

/ ˈhʊkə /

noun

1. a person or thing that hooks

2. slang

   1. a draught of alcoholic drink, esp of spirits

   2. a prostitute

3. rugby the central forward in the front row of a scrum whose main job is to hook the ball

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Hooker ² British  

/ ˈhʊkə /

noun

1. John Lee. 1917–2001, US blues singer and guitarist

2. Sir Joseph Dalton. 1817–1911, British botanist; director of Kew Gardens (1865–85)

3. Richard. 1554–1600, British theologian, who influenced Anglican theology with The Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity (1593–97)

4. Sir William Jackson. 1785–1865, British botanist; first director of Kew Gardens: father of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker

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hooker ³ British  

/ ˈhʊkə /

noun

1. a commercial fishing boat using hooks and lines instead of nets

2. a sailing boat of the west of Ireland formerly used for cargo and now for pleasure sailing and racing

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Sensitive Note

The Mennonites were irreverently spoken of as Hookers , because they used hooks and eyes on their clothes instead of buttons.

Etymology

Origin of hooker¹

First recorded in 1560–70; in 1835–45 hooker ¹ for def. 2, an Americanism; hook ¹ + -er ¹

Origin of hooker²

First recorded in 1635–45; from Dutch hoeker, equivalent to hoek hook ¹ + -er -er ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hooker Hooker

Steve Tandy has selected a 39-strong group for the November Tests, with hooker Dewi Lake named as captain.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

After Wales' scrum buckled early on, an ineffective attacking play involving Thomas resulted in Springboks hooker Malcolm Marx achieving a turnover penalty with rampaging lock Cobus Wiese almost crossing the Welsh line before knocking on.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

Tom Youngs was a hooker for Leicester Tigers and England, and played for both teams - including in a World Cup - with his younger brother, scrum-half Ben.

From BBC ● May 13, 2026

Prop Botterman will have a second operation on an ankle injury sustained playing for Bristol in December, while Saracens hooker Campbell will have a knee operation next week.

From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026

The captain stood up, and shouted and waved, and the hooker, hauling her wind, hove to to await their coming.

From The Missing Ship The Log of the "Ouzel" Galley by William Henry Giles Kingston

The looks that walked down the runway also called upon the dream, soundtracked by a score that included blues icon John Lee Hooker and beloved French band Air.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026

Handy, John Lee Hooker, Son House, Ike Turner and Sam Cooke all hailed from or lived for a while in this blues mecca.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026

Hooker Atkin-Davies has won 74 caps and been a regular since her England debut in 2015.

From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026

The missing woman was named by local authorities as Lynette Hooker from Michigan, according to CBS News.

From BBC ● Apr. 7, 2026

“It’s all right,” Hooker told Darius Couch, one of his generals, in an attempt to put a brave face on the situation.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

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