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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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hooker Hooker

With regular captain Maro Itoje rested and not on the tour, Jamie George leads from hooker and is part of an experienced front row alongside props Ellis Genge and Joe Heyes.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

Former England hooker Brian Moore was a team-mate of Hastings on his two Lions tours, including the series win over Australia.

From BBC ● May 17, 2026

Saracens' Theo Dan and Bristol's Gabriel Oghre also impressed in defeat, but, at 23, Jibulu is younger than both and will be vying for position on England's hooker depth chart.

From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2026

Loughborough Lightning number eight Haineala Lutui, daughter of former Tonga, Worcester and Gloucester hooker Aleki, is rewarded for her fine form.

From BBC ● Mar. 20, 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 Kingston, William Henry Giles

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 Amy Cokayne is the only player from that game to feature in the back-to-back wins at Allianz Stadium.

From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2026

In a statement shared with US media partner CBS News on Wednesday, Brian Hooker said he was "heartbroken" about his wife's disappearance and thanked authorities and volunteers for the ongoing search.

From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2026

“Though my Book, if it will ever have any value, will not be deteriorated; as all the labour consists in the application of the theory’ He told Hooker about Wallace’s paper, too.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

Related Words

• prostitute