hacker

[hak-er]

noun

1. a person or thing that hacks.

2. Slang.,  a person who engages in an activity without talent or skill.

   weekend hackers on the golf course.

3. Computers.

   1. a person who has a high level of skill in computer technology or programming; a computer expert or enthusiast.

      My brother is a real hacker—he fixed my laptop in no time.

   2. a person who circumvents security and breaks into a network, computer, file, etc., often, but not always, with malicious intent.

      A hacker got into my computer remotely and wiped my hard drive!

      The company has hired hackers to test system security.

hacker

/ ˈhækə /

noun

1. a person that hacks

2. slang,  a computer fanatic, esp one who through a personal computer breaks into the computer system of a company, government, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of hacker¹

First recorded in 1200–50 hacker for def. 1; Middle English (as surname); hack ¹, -er ¹; 1965–70 hacker for def. 2

Example Sentences

The icing on the cake of this security debacle is, of course, if Iranian hackers in fact breached these communications.

Read more on Salon

Western countries have accused hacker groups allegedly supported by China of conducting a global cyber espionage campaign against figures critical of Beijing, democratic institutions, and companies in various sensitive sectors.

Read more on Barron's

The 18-count indictment indicated that classified information may have been exposed when Iranian hackers got into Bolton’s personal email account and gained access to the material he had shared.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Chinese hackers have targeted Guam’s infrastructure, U.S. officials said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The UK government implored businesses Tuesday to prioritise cyber security, as major incidents targeting them hit record levels over the last year and officials warned of the threat from Chinese and Russian hackers.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• operator 
• technician