What does hammock mean?
A hammock is a bed of cloth, canvas, or netting suspended by ropes or chains between two supports, allowing a person to rest or sleep above the ground. It is especially associated with warm climates, outdoor relaxation, camping, and travel, although hammocks are also used in ships, gardens, and other settings where suspended support is practical. The word can suggest slowness, leisure, and freedom from ordinary routine: spending an afternoon in a hammock is an image of rest and escape. In figurative use, being in a hammock can imply being suspended away from everyday concerns. Although “hammock” is primarily a noun, it also has a relatively uncommon transitive verb meaning to place or secure someone in one. The term is used in both British and American English, with no major regional difference in its basic meaning.
A bed of cloth, canvas, or netting suspended by ropes or chains between two supports.
"The hammock swayed gently as the breeze moved through the trees."
Often used for a light, portable bed hung outdoors or aboard a ship.
To place or secure someone in a hammock.
"The crew hammocked the exhausted sailor in the rigging."
This use is uncommon in modern general English and has a formal or nautical tone.
The standard plural of the noun.
"Two hammocks were set up beneath the trees."
A hammock's name comes through Spanish from a Taíno term associated with a suspended net, turning a simple support for a fishing net into a portable bed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hammock come from?
The English word “hammock” was borrowed from Spanish “hamaca,” which derives from the Taíno term “hamaka.” That Indigenous word was associated with a suspended net or sling, and the name was later applied to the suspended bed familiar today. The word passed through European languages, producing forms such as French “hamac” and Spanish or Portuguese “hamaca,” before becoming established in English.
Related word forms
How hammock is actually used
The noun is common in British and American English and is generally neutral, with a relaxed, leisurely, or recreational connotation. The verb is much less common and sounds somewhat old-fashioned or nautical.
Easily confused with hammock
A hammock is a suspended bed, whereas a hummock is a small, rounded hill.