cracker
cracker Lexical Profile
cracker Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A thin, crisp baked wafer or biscuit, typically savory or unsweetened, commonly eaten with cheese, dips, or soup.
"We served a wooden platter of artisanal cheese alongside a variety of crackers and fresh fruit."
British A decorated paper tube that makes a sharp snapping sound when pulled apart by two people, typically containing a small gift, a paper hat, and a joke, traditionally used at Christmas.
"After finishing the holiday roast, the family took turns pulling the ends of the crackers to reveal the prizes inside."
A person who unlawfully breaks into computer systems, bypasses security protocols, or circumvents software licensing protections.
"The software company released an emergency patch after a cracker managed to exploit a vulnerability in their database."
Word Nuance & Usage
While primarily referring to a crisp foodstuff or a festive paper tube, 'cracker' is also used in computing for a malicious hacker, and in North American English as a historically derogatory slang term for a poor, rural white person.
• Rhymes for cracker
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the verb 'crack' with the agent suffix '-er'. It originally referred to something that makes a cracking noise (late 16th century) and was later applied to hard biscuits that crack when broken (mid-18th century).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.