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hacker

[ hak-er ]
/ Ë?hæk É™r /
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noun

a person or thing that hacks.
Slang. a person who engages in an activity without talent or skill: weekend hackers on the golf course.
Computers.
  1. a person who has a high level of skill in computer technology or programming; a computer expert or enthusiast: My brother is a real hacker—he fixed my laptop in no time.
  2. a person who circumvents security and breaks into a network, computer, file, etc., often, but not always, with malicious intent: A hacker got into my computer remotely and wiped my hard drive!The company has hired hackers to test system security.Compare black hat (def. 2), gray hat, white hat (def. 2).

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Origin of hacker

First recorded in 1200–50 for def. 1; Middle English (as surname); see hack1, -er1;1965–70 for def. 2
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for hacker

British Dictionary definitions for hacker

hacker
/ (Ë?hækÉ™) /

noun

a person that hacks
slang a computer fanatic, esp one who through a personal computer breaks into the computer system of a company, government, etc
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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