First published 1893; not yet revised More entries for "cracker"
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crackernoun
Factsheet
What does the noun cracker mean?
There are 21 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun cracker, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
cracker has developed meanings and uses in subjects including
Entry status
OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.
How common is the noun cracker?
About 2occurrences per million words in modern written English
| 1750 | 0.18 |
| 1760 | 0.25 |
| 1770 | 0.25 |
| 1780 | 0.29 |
| 1790 | 0.25 |
| 1800 | 0.28 |
| 1810 | 0.29 |
| 1820 | 0.39 |
| 1830 | 0.49 |
| 1840 | 0.65 |
| 1850 | 0.89 |
| 1860 | 1.1 |
| 1870 | 1.3 |
| 1880 | 1.3 |
| 1890 | 1.6 |
| 1900 | 1.9 |
| 1910 | 2.1 |
| 1920 | 2.1 |
| 1930 | 2.1 |
| 1940 | 2.0 |
| 1950 | 1.7 |
| 1960 | 1.5 |
| 1970 | 1.6 |
| 1980 | 1.9 |
| 1990 | 2.3 |
| 2000 | 2.5 |
| 2010 | 2.6 |
How is the noun cracker pronounced?
British English
/ˈkrakə/
U.S. English
/ˈkrækər/
Where does the noun cracker come from?
Earliest known use
early 1500s
The earliest known use of the noun cracker is in the early 1500s.
OED's earliest evidence for cracker is from 1509, in the writing of Alexander Barclay, poet and clergyman.
Nearby entries
- crack, adv. & int.1698–
- crack-, comb. form
- crackability, n.1810–
- crackable, adj.1841–
- crackaret, n.1653
- crack-brain, n.1570–
- crack-brained, adj.1634–
- crackdown, n.1935–
- cracked, adj.1503–
- crackedness, n.1910–
- cracker, n.1509–
- cracker, v.1870–
- cracker-barrel, n.1877–
- cracker-box, n.1857–
- crackeress, n.1883–
- cracker funeral, n.1856–
- cracker-hash, n.1904–
- crackerjack, n. & adj.1895–
- crackers, adj.1928–
- crackery, n.1824–
- cracket, n.1635–
Etymology
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Meaning & use
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Pronunciation
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Forms
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Frequency
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Compounds & derived words
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Entry history for cracker, n.
cracker, n. was first published in 1893; not yet revised.
cracker, n. was last modified in July 2023.
Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:
- corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
- new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.
Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into cracker, n. in July 2023.
Earlier versions of this entry were published in:
OED First Edition (1893)
OED Second Edition (1989)
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Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “,” , .
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Citation details
Factsheet for cracker, n.
Browse entry
Nearby entries
- crack, adv. & int.1698–
- crack-, comb. form
- crackability, n.1810–
- crackable, adj.1841–
- crackaret, n.1653
- crack-brain, n.1570–
- crack-brained, adj.1634–
- crackdown, n.1935–
- cracked, adj.1503–
- crackedness, n.1910–
- cracker, n.1509–
- cracker, v.1870–
- cracker-barrel, n.1877–
- cracker-box, n.1857–
- crackeress, n.1883–
- cracker funeral, n.1856–
- cracker-hash, n.1904–
- crackerjack, n. & adj.1895–
- crackers, adj.1928–
- crackery, n.1824–
- cracket, n.1635–
