harper
noun
a person who plays the harp.
harper
1 American
[hahr-per]
/ ˈhɑr pər /
Harper
2
American
[hahr-per]
/ ˈhɑr pər /
noun
-
James, 1795–1869, and his brothers John, 1797–1875, (Joseph) Wesley, 1801–70, and Fletcher, 1806–77, U.S. printers and publishers.
-
a male or female given name.
Harper
British
/ ˈhɑːpə /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of harper
before 900; Middle English; Old English hearpere. See harp, -er 1
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.
He told the court in 2019 a ban would mean he would not be able to drive Romeo and his siblings Cruz and Harper to school.
From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026
By Ann Patchett Harper: 304 pages, $30 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
"What we've done is taken two of our 74 horsepower engines from our construction machines, we've laid them on their side and we've turned the power up," Lee Harper, chief engineer at JCB, explained.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
Sean Harper, chief executive of tech-based insurer Kin Insurance, said its relatively high nonpayment rate—58% last year— “is ironically due to some of the really customer-friendly stuff that we do.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
Harry soared around the perimeter of the grounds, looking around for the Snitch and keeping one eye on Harper, who was zigzagging far below him.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
