hamper

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈhæm.pɚ/ UK /ˈhæm.pə/ See IPA manual

Freq #21281

Meanings

1

verb
To make something difficult to do; to slow or block progress.

Heavy rain hampered the rescue efforts for several hours.
2

noun
A large basket with a lid, used for carrying food, laundry, or other items.

They packed a hamper full of food for the picnic.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to make something difficult... hinder impede handicap encumber

Word family

Forms hamperedhamperinghampersunhampered

Derived forms hampererhamperfulhamperlesstop-hamperunhamper

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

clothes hamper
a basket or container used to hold clothes waiting to be washed

Noun + noun

Etymology

From Middle English hamper, contracted from hanaper, hanypere, from Anglo-Norman hanaper, Old French hanapier, hanepier (“case for holding a large goblet or cup”), from hanap (“goblet, drinking cup”), from Frankish *hnapp (“cup, bowl, basin”), from Proto-Germanic *hnappaz (“cup, bowl”). Cognate with Old High German hnapf (“cup, bowl, basin”) (German Napf (“bowl”)), Dutch nap (“cup”), Old English hnæpp (“bowl”). More at nap.

hamper Middle English hanaper xno hanapier Old French *hnapp frk *hnappaz Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# hamper

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈhæm.pɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈhæm.pə/
**Frequency rank:** 21281

## Meanings
1. To make something difficult to do; to slow or block progress.
2. A large basket with a lid, used for carrying food, laundry, or other items.

## Examples
- Heavy rain hampered the rescue efforts for several hours.
- They packed a hamper full of food for the picnic.

## Derived Forms
- hamperer
- hamperful
- hamperless
- top-hamper
- unhamper

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: hamper
- Root: hanaper
- Root: hanapier
- Root: *hnapp
- Root: *hnappaz

## Etymology
From Middle English hamper, contracted from hanaper, hanypere, from Anglo-Norman hanaper, Old French hanapier, hanepier (“case for holding a large goblet or cup”), from hanap (“goblet, drinking cup”), from Frankish *hnapp (“cup, bowl, basin”), from Proto-Germanic *hnappaz (“cup, bowl”). Cognate with Old High German hnapf (“cup, bowl, basin”) (German Napf (“bowl”)), Dutch nap (“cup”), Old English hnæpp (“bowl”). More at nap.

## AI Etymology
Hamper is from Middle English hamper, contracted from hanaper, hanypere, from Anglo-Norman hanaper, Old French hanapier, hanepier (“case for holding a large goblet or cup”), from hanap (“goblet, drinking cup”), from Frankish *hnapp (“cup, bowl, basin”), from Proto-Germanic *hnappaz (“cup, bowl”). Cognate with Old High German hnapf (“cup, bowl, basin”) (German Napf (“bowl”)), Dutch nap (“cup”), Old English hnæpp (“bowl”). More at nap. Important recorded forms include hamper (Middle English), hanaper (xno), hanapier (Old French), *hnapp (frk), and *hnappaz (Proto-Germanic). Current senses include to make something difficult to do; to slow or block progress and a large basket with a lid, used for carrying food, laundry, or other items. The wider family includes derived forms such as hamperer, hamperful, hamperless, top-hamper, and unhamper.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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