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noun Uncommon

hooker

HUUK-uh
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Hooker (noun) means Rugby: the player in the front row of the scrum who hooks the ball back with their foot. Example: “The hooker won the ball cleanly at the base of the scrum.”

noun
1
Rugby: the player in the front row of the scrum who hooks the ball back with their foot.
"The hooker won the ball cleanly at the base of the scrum."
"Our hooker is short and strong, which suits the front row."
"The hooker threw the ball in from the touchline at the lineout."
2
A vulgar, dated slang term for a prostitute.
"The film's slang term "hooker" now sounds outdated to many viewers."

How to use hooker

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDepending on context: a rugby position, or crude slang for a sex worker.

When to use it

The "prostitute" sense is slang and can be considered crude or disrespectful; "sex worker" is the more neutral modern term.

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Word forms

Plural
hookers
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The _____ won the ball cleanly at the base of the scrum.

Etymology

Unknown. The "prostitute" sense is the subject of a folk etymology connecting it to General Hooker of the American Civil War, but the earliest known use dates to 1835, decades before the war. Less implausibly, it has also been connected to a coastal feature called a hook (“A spit or narrow cape of sand or gravel turned landward at the outer end, such as Sandy Hook in New Jersey, Red Hook in New York”) in the ports of New York and Baltimore. Carefully learned inference is not conclusive. See this essay, pp 105ff.

Synonyms

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Related words

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Rhymes for hooker

poker joker coker smoker broker choker looker stoker booker rooker snooker pawnbroker
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Frequently asked questions

What does “hooker” mean?
The word “hooker” means rugby: the player in the front row of the scrum who hooks the ball back with their foot. In plain terms, depending on context: a rugby position, or crude slang for a sex worker.
How do you pronounce “hooker”?
“Hooker” is pronounced HUUK-uh (/ˈhʊk.ɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “hooker” in a sentence?
Here is “hooker” used in a sentence: “The hooker won the ball cleanly at the base of the scrum.”
What part of speech is “hooker”?
“Hooker” is a noun.
Is “hooker” a common word?
“Hooker” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “hooker” have?
“Hooker” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: rugby: the player in the front row of the scrum who hooks the ball back with their foot.
What does a hooker do in rugby?
The hooker is the player in the front row of the scrum whose job is to hook the ball back with their foot once it enters the scrum, helping their team gain possession.
Why is the rugby position called 'hooker'?
The position is named for the specific action the player performs during a scrum, using their foot to 'hook' the ball backward toward their own team.

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etymology from Wiktionary