pecker
pecker Lexical Profile
pecker Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American The penis (vulgar slang).
"The comedian's crude joke about a pecker drew nervous laughter from the late-night crowd."
British Courage, spirits, or resolution, used chiefly in the informal phrase 'keep your pecker up'.
"Even after losing his job, his friends urged him to keep his pecker up and stay optimistic."
A bird that pecks at trees or ground, especially a woodpecker.
"We heard a persistent pecker tapping against the hollow oak trunk in the woods."
A bird's beak or bill (informal), or by extension, a person's nose.
"The curious hen used her sharp pecker to break open the fallenseed pod."
Word Nuance & Usage
Because 'pecker' is widely understood in North American English as vulgar slang for the penis, the traditional British idiom 'keep your pecker up' (meaning 'stay cheerful') can cause unintended embarrassment or misunderstanding across dialects.
• Rhymes for pecker
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in Middle English as an agent noun from the verb 'peck' plus the suffix '-er', originally denoting a bird that pecks (especially a woodpecker) or a bird's beak.