cracker

B2 Topic:Food & Drink

US /ˈkɹæk.ɚ/ UK /ˈkræk.ə/ See IPA manual

Freq #10524

Meanings

1

noun
a thin, dry, crisp biscuit, often eaten with cheese or a spread

She placed a slice of cheese on each cracker.
2

noun
chiefly British: a decorated paper tube that makes a small bang when pulled apart and contains a joke, paper hat, or small gift

The Christmas cracker contained a paper crown and a terrible motto.
3

noun
a small explosive firework that produces a sharp bang

A cracker exploded in the street just after midnight.
4

noun
computing: a person who bypasses security or copy protection, especially for malicious or unauthorized purposes

The cracker exploited an unpatched flaw to enter the network.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a thin, dry, crisp biscuit,... savory biscuitwafer

2 noun · chiefly british: a... Christmas crackersnapper

3 noun · a small explosive firework... firecrackerbanger

4 noun · computing: a person who... computer intrudermalicious hacker

Word family

Derived forms crackerbreadcrackerlike

Related forms crack biscuit firework hacker

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

soda cracker
an unsweetened cracker lightly raised with baking soda

Noun + noun

Etymology

Formed from crack + -er, first for something or someone that cracks or makes a sharp sound. The firework and Christmas-cracker senses reflect that snap; the crisp biscuit was named for the sound or texture of breaking it. Computing adopted cracker for someone who breaks security or copy protection.

Topics

Food & Drink Register & Style

External links

# cracker

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɹæk.ɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkræk.ə/
**Frequency rank:** 10524

## Meanings
1. a thin, dry, crisp biscuit, often eaten with cheese or a spread
2. chiefly British: a decorated paper tube that makes a small bang when pulled apart and contains a joke, paper hat, or small gift
3. a small explosive firework that produces a sharp bang
4. computing: a person who bypasses security or copy protection, especially for malicious or unauthorized purposes

## Examples
- She placed a slice of cheese on each cracker.
- The Christmas cracker contained a paper crown and a terrible motto.
- A cracker exploded in the street just after midnight.
- The cracker exploited an unpatched flaw to enter the network.

## Synonyms
- savory biscuit
- wafer
- Christmas cracker
- firecracker
- banger
- computer intruder

## Derived Forms
- crackerbread
- crackerlike

## Related Forms
- crack
- biscuit
- firework
- hacker

## Etymology
Formed from crack + -er, first for something or someone that cracks or makes a sharp sound. The firework and Christmas-cracker senses reflect that snap; the crisp biscuit was named for the sound or texture of breaking it. Computing adopted cracker for someone who breaks security or copy protection.

## Topics
- Food & Drink
- Register & Style

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