What does honker mean?
A honker is most commonly a goose, particularly a loud-voiced Canada goose. The name reflects the harsh, carrying sound that the bird makes, and it can affectionately describe a goose that seems always to be calling. In informal British and American English, honker also denotes a person who blasts a vehicle horn or a car fitted with a loud or conspicuous horn. In this second use, the word often carries a mildly critical or amused tone, suggesting impatience, showiness, or a vehicle whose horn is difficult to ignore. The plural is honkers. Although honk refers to the sound itself, honker identifies its source, whether that source is a bird, a person, or a vehicle.
nounA honker is a goose, especially one known for its loud call. The term can also mean a person who honks a horn or a vehicle fitted with a prominent or powerful horn.
- A goose, especially a Canada goose.
- A person who sounds a vehicle horn or another horn-like device.
- A vehicle with a loud or conspicuous horn.
"A lone honker flew across the pond, announcing its arrival to the flock."
"The honker landed beside the other geese at the edge of the field."
"The driver leaned on the horn, and the impatient honker pulled into traffic."
The regular plural is honkers, especially for a group of geese or vehicles.
"Honkers filled the field as the farmer scattered grain across the ground."
A honker is a goose with its own built-in sound system.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does honker come from?
The word honker was formed in English by adding the agent suffix -er to honk, with the resulting meaning "one that honks." Its use for a goose developed from the bird's conspicuous call, while the later figurative senses apply the same formation to horn-blowing people and vehicles.
How honker is actually used
The goose sense is familiar but less formal than simply "goose." The person and vehicle senses are informal and often mildly disparaging, implying excessive or conspicuous horn use.
Easily confused with honker
A honk is the sound made by a horn, whereas a honker is the goose, person, or vehicle producing that sound.