What does sixer mean?
A sixer is most commonly a cricket hit that sends the ball over the boundary without touching the ground, earning six runs. It is one of the most celebrated scoring shots in the sport because it requires both power and timing and can change the course of a match. Outside cricket, the word has less formal uses: in British English it can informally describe a six-month-old baby, while Australian slang uses it for a child aged six. These age-based meanings are affectionate rather than technical and are likely to appear in family conversation, informal writing, or regional speech. In cricket commentary and reports, “sixer” is normally used directly with verbs such as “hit,” “score,” or “bowled,” describing either the successful shot or, occasionally, the player who produced it.
nounIn cricket, a sixer is a hit that sends the ball over the boundary without touching the ground, scoring six runs. Informally, the word can also refer to a six-month-old baby or, in Australian slang, a six-year-old child.
- A hit in cricket that scores six runs by sending the ball over the boundary without touching the ground.
- Informally, a baby in the first six months of life.
- Australian slang, a child aged six.
"The batter leaned into the final delivery and struck a magnificent sixer into the crowd."
"With two balls remaining, he struck a sixer and decided the match."
"Their newborn arrived weighing seven pounds and was immediately described as a cheerful sixer."
Used for multiple cricket shots that score six runs; the plural of the informal age-related meanings is uncommon.
"The opening partnership included two towering sixers."
In cricket, a sixer is the spectacular hit that clears the boundary without the ball touching the ground.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sixer come from?
The word was formed in modern English by adding the suffix “-er” to “six,” in the sense of a hit worth six runs. “Six” comes from Old English sex, inherited from Proto-Germanic *seks, and ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root *seks. Related forms include “sixteen,” “sixty,” and “sixth,” as well as cognates in languages such as Latin sex and Greek hex.
How sixer is actually used
The cricket sense is standard in British, Indian, Australian, and other varieties of English. The infant sense is informal, while the six-year-old sense is chiefly associated with Australian slang.