noun
nutcracker
NUT-krak-er
Nutcracker (noun) means a tool used for cracking the shells of nuts. Example: “Pass me the nutcracker, please, and I will open the walnuts.”
noun
1
A tool used for cracking the shells of nuts.
"Pass me the nutcracker, please, and I will open the walnuts."
"We keep a metal nutcracker in the bowl with the nuts at Christmas."
"The old nutcracker had a hinge that squeaked."
2
A bird of the genus Nucifraga, which belongs to the crow family.
"The nutcracker is a member of the crow family."
"Clark's nutcracker is one species of this genus."
"A spotted nutcracker was seen in the pine wood."
How to use nutcracker
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA tool for cracking nuts, or a bird of the crow family.
When to use it
It is a neutral everyday word.
Memory tip
The tool is often called a pair of nutcrackers when it has two arms, using the plural.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
a pair of nutcrackers
nutcracker doll
Clark's nutcracker
a metal nutcracker
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Pass me the _____, please, and I will open the walnuts.
Etymology
The word is a compound formed in English from nut and cracker.
Synonyms
View more →
nuthatch
Rhymes for nutcracker
acker
hacker
backer
Packer
cracker
slacker
blacker
attacker
hijacker
linebacker
firecracker
safecracker
See all rhymes for nutcracker →
Frequently asked questions
What is a nutcracker?
A nutcracker is a tool for cracking open nuts. The word is also used for a bird of the crow family.
What bird is called a nutcracker?
Birds of the genus Nucifraga in the crow family are called nutcrackers. Clark's nutcracker and the spotted nutcracker are examples.
Is a nutcracker doll the same as a nutcracker?
A nutcracker doll is a figure named after the tool, and the word nutcracker is sometimes used on its own to mean the doll.
What is the meaning of nutcracker?
"nutcracker" (noun) means a tool used for cracking the shells of nuts.
