What does yorker mean?
A yorker is most commonly a cricket delivery that pitches at or near the batter's feet and passes beneath the bat or strikes it. It is especially effective against a batsman who might otherwise play the ball on the full length of the wicket, and a well-directed yorker can dislodge the bails or force the batter into an awkward defensive position. The term is part of cricket vocabulary in Britain, the Commonwealth, the United States, and international competition. In a separate, everyday use, a yorker is a person who comes from or lives in York, England. The two meanings both connect with the name York, although the precise historical origin of the cricket expression is uncertain. The word is normally used as a count noun and takes the plural yorkers.
nounIn cricket, a delivery that pitches close to the batter and passes beneath the bat or strikes it. The word can also mean a native or resident of York, England.
- In cricket, a delivery that pitches close to the batter and passes beneath the bat or hits it, often dislodging the bails.
- A native or resident of York, England.
"The fast bowler delivered a yorker that skidded under the batsman's bat and struck the stumps."
"She sent down a yorker that struck the batter on the foot in front of the stumps."
"The guidebook includes interviews with several Yorkshire writers and other locals from York."
The regular plural is used for cricket deliveries and for people from York.
"The bowler's yorkers accounted for three of the team's five wickets."
A yorker is cricket's delivery aimed at the batter's toes, where even a few centimetres can turn the wicket.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of yorker
The resident meaning of yorker is a demonym formed from York, the name of the English city. The cricket sense is also traditionally associated with York or Yorkshire, though its precise origin is not certain. York itself comes through Old English Eoforwic, generally interpreted as a settlement associated with a wild boar, and was later reshaped by the Old Norse name Jórvík.
How yorker is actually used
The cricket sense is technical and chiefly used in British, Commonwealth, and international cricket, including cricket in the United States. When referring to a person from York, the word is a general demonym rather than a specialized term.