hawker

1 of 2

noun (1)

hawk·​er ˈhȯ-kər How to pronounce hawker (audio)
Synonyms of hawkernext
: falconer

hawker

2 of 2

noun (2)

: one who hawks wares
The sidewalks are filled with hawkers selling vegetables and trinkets and women in blankets roasting cobs of corn on makeshift fires.—Richard Stengal

Synonyms of hawker

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Noun (2)

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Examples of hawker in a Sentence

Noun (2) street corner hawkers selling everything from fake designer purses to original works of art
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Singapore’s hawker centers dominate, but the geographic spread is what makes the list so useful. — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 5 June 2026 Bring your pastry to Marine Parade’s public lawns for a lakeside lunch in view of street performers, snack carts and thrill ride hawkers. — New York Times, 2 Apr. 2026 The peanut hawkers at sports venues over a century ago wouldn’t recognize the diversity of food—or seating types—in today’s modern stadium. — Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Across history, hawkers of new communications technologies have expressed a desire to smooth out and speed up human conversation. — Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for hawker

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English haueker, hawker, going back to Old English hafocere, from hafoc hawk entry 1 + -ere -er entry 2

Noun (2)

by folk etymology from Low German höker, from Middle Low German hōker, from hōken to squat, peddle — more at hunker

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1512, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hawker was before the 12th century

Rhymes for hawker

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Browse Nearby Words

Hawke Bay
hawker
hawkery
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Cite this Entry

“Hawker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hawker. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hawker

1 of 2 noun
hawk·​er ˈhȯ-kər How to pronounce hawker (audio)
: falconer

hawker

2 of 2 noun
: a person who hawks wares
Etymology

Noun

Low German höker, from höken "to peddle"

More from Merriam-Webster on hawker

Nglish: Translation of hawker for Spanish Speakers

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