heckler

American  

[hek-ler, hek-uh-ler] / ˈhɛk lər, ˈhɛk ə lər /

noun

1. a person who harasses a public speaker or performer with impertinent questions, insults, etc..

   As a comedian, you have to face any hecklers in the crowd head-on and deal with them, because if you don't, they can take over the show.

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Etymology

Origin of heckler

heckle ( def. ) + -er ¹

Explanation

Have you ever screamed horrible things during a sports event, or taunted someone with cruel jokes? You might be a heckler, and you’re probably not very well-liked. The word heckler is rooted in an old Dutch verb that means “to irritate, prickle,” and hecklers can be irritating indeed. They sit at baseball games and yell insults at the players, or start booing during a spelling bee. Some comedians love hecklers and often will start heckling them back. Other comedians will jump off stage and attack a heckler — so keep that in mind if you feel like adding heckler to your résumé.

Related Words

• dissident
• militant