hooker

¹ American  

[hook-er] / ˈhʊk ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that hooks. hook.

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

Example Sentences

When replacement Tigers' hooker Finn Theobald-Thomas turned over the ball, it seemed Leicester would take the money and kick to touch.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

But hooker Nathan Jibulu has been a bright point in an underwhelming campaign.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

Italy won two matches in finishing fourth in the table, with their performance reflected in the selection of hooker Giacomo Nicotera, prop Simone Ferrari and centre Tommaso Menoncello.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

Ofa Tu'ungafasi moves to loosehead prop while Kurt Eklund comes in at hooker, and lock Sam Darry returns to the starting XV after missing last week's match following a head knock.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

I don’t want nobody better’n what you are, Mr Leslie, in command of this here hooker.

From Dick Leslie's Luck A Story of Shipwreck and Adventure by Piffard, Harold

Related Words

• prostitute