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noun Uncommon

yorker

YAW-kuh
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Yorker (noun) means In cricket, a fast-bowled ball designed to bounce right at the batsman's feet or bat, near the popping crease. Example: “He was clean bowled by a perfectly pitched yorker.”

noun
1
In cricket, a fast-bowled ball designed to bounce right at the batsman's feet or bat, near the popping crease.
"He bowled forty-seven toe crushing yorkers that resulted in the wickets of 6 batsmen."
"He bowled Neesham, Henry and captain Mitchell Santner with perfect slower-ball yorkers to add sparkle to a superb team performance." — Matthew Henry, Superb India crush New Zealand to defend T20 title (2026)
"He was clean bowled by a perfectly pitched yorker."
"I felt rather than saw the next three balls as they whistled around my ears and the last ball was a yorker that could have easily been fired out of a howitzer." — Paul Vautin, Turn It Up! (1995)
2
A person from York, England.
"As a Yorker, she was proud of the city's Roman walls."

How to use yorker

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMainly a cricket term for a tricky low, fast-bowled delivery; can also just mean someone from the city of York.

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Word forms

Plural
yorkers
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He was clean bowled by a perfectly pitched _____.

Etymology

Possibly from an old slang phrase about tricking or "pulling Yorkshire on" someone, meaning to deceive them.

Rhymes for yorker

See all rhymes for yorker →

Frequently asked questions

What does “yorker” mean?
The word “yorker” means in cricket, a fast-bowled ball designed to bounce right at the batsman's feet or bat, near the popping crease. In plain terms, mainly a cricket term for a tricky low, fast-bowled delivery; can also just mean someone from the city of York.
How do you pronounce “yorker”?
“Yorker” is pronounced YAW-kuh (/ˈjɔː(ɹ)kə(ɹ)/ in IPA).
How do you use “yorker” in a sentence?
Here is “yorker” used in a sentence: “He was clean bowled by a perfectly pitched yorker.”
What part of speech is “yorker”?
“Yorker” is a noun.
Is “yorker” a common word?
“Yorker” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “yorker” have?
“Yorker” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: in cricket, a fast-bowled ball designed to bounce right at the batsman's feet or bat, near the popping crease.

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