nicker

1 of 3

verb

nick·​er ˈni-kər How to pronounce nicker (audio)
nickered; nickering ˈni-k(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce nicker (audio) ; nickers
Synonyms of nickernext

intransitive verb

: neigh, whinny
… he nickers and whinnies when I show up in the morning and comes at a trot when I call him in from the pasture …—Jane Smiley

nicker

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural nickers
: the cry of a horse : whinny, neigh
… a chorus of nickers arises from the throats of the Family Horses.—Maxine Kumin

nicker

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural nickers
British slang
: pound entry 1 sense 2a

Synonyms

Verb

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of nicker in a Sentence

Verb horses nickering in the barn
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.
Verb
Waffles, patient and unbothered as onlookers walked around and stopped to gaze, nickered as another horse on the other side of the massive stalls whinnied. —James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

perhaps alteration of neigh

Noun (2)

perhaps from nicker one that nicks

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1617, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

circa 1791, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nicker was circa 1617

Dictionary Entries Near nicker

nickeltype

nicker

nicker nut

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Nicker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nicker. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

nicker

verb
nick·​er
ˈnik-ər
nickered; nickering
-(ə-)riŋ
: neigh, whinny
nicker noun
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