yorker

British

/ ˈjɔːkə /

noun

cricket a ball bowled so as to pitch just under or just beyond the bat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of yorker

C19: probably named after the Yorkshire County Cricket Club

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.

The tall paceman bowled Brook with a yorker next ball, but did not celebrate wildly -- instead he immediately went to congratulate the England captain in a superb show of cricket sportmanship.

From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026

A power-packed Phoenix top-order was taken apart as the pace bowlers got the new ball swinging - David Willey bowling Ben Duckett before Ferguson pinned Aneurin Donald lbw with a brilliant in-swinging yorker.

From BBC • Aug. 8, 2025

Jasprit Bumrah has his first wicket of the innings with a superb yorker that beats Brydon Carse all ends and leave England 182-9.

From BBC • Jul. 13, 2025

In Visakhapatnam 18 months ago, Bumrah's dismissal of Pope with a yorker that removed two stumps was so violent it should only be watched with a health warning.

From BBC • Jun. 21, 2025

There are easier things in the world than stopping a fast yorker.

From Mike by Wodehouse, P. G. (Pelham Grenville)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023