Dictionary Definition
hacker
Noun
1 someone who plays golf poorly
2 a programmer who breaks into computer systems
in order to steal or change or destroy information as a form of
cyber-terrorism [syn: cyber-terrorist,
cyberpunk]
3 a programmer for whom computing is its own
reward; may enjoy the challenge of breaking into other computers
but does no harm; "true hackers subscribe to a code of ethics and
look down upon crackers"
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Pronunciation
-
- Rhymes: -ækə(r)
Etymology
-er hackNoun
Globally understood definitions throughout the English-speaking world- one who cuts with rough or heavy blows.
- one who kicks wildly or roughly.
- one who is consistent and focuses on accomplishing a task or several tasks.
- one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer
- one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data.
- (informal) one who manages or copes (one hacks it)
- (informal) one who annoys (another party).
Usages that principally occur only within the
United States
- one who is inexperienced or unskilled at a particular activity (e.g. tennis)
- one who loafs (around)
- one who rides or drives at an ordinary pace or over the roads (especially distinguished from from racing or hunting)
- one who operates a taxicab
- a computer security professional
Usage notes
The English-speaking world, where English is natively spoken as the mother-tongue, includes:- United Kingdom (and sovereign states)
- United States (and governed territories)
- Canada
- New Zealand
- Australia
There are significantly more meanings of the word
within the United States than in other English speaking
nations.
The use of the word hacker to indicate a person
who displays skill, particularly with computers, may be
misunderstood as implying the narrow meaning of unauthorised
intrusion into electronic systems (also known as a cracker or occasionally black
hat). This serious misunderstanding in the field of computer
expertise is perhaps particularly common outside the United
States.
References
See also
Extensive Definition
Hackers may refer to:
Computing and technology
- Hacker
(computing) has a spectrum of meanings:
- Hacker (computer security), someone who breaks computer and network security
- Hacker (free and open source software), a programmer in the free software and open source movement
- Hacker (hobbyist), an enthusiastic home computer hobbyist.
Similar meanings in other fields are:
- Media hacker, someone who uses the media in new ways
- Reality hacker, similar to a computer hacker, but hacks the "real world"
- Wetware hacker, one who experiments with biological materials
- Somebody who generally works 'outside the box'.
Entertainment
People named Hacker
Real
- Sally Hacker(1936–1988), feminist sociologist
- Alan Ray Hacker (b. 1938), English clarinettist
- Peter Hacker, (b. 1939), British philosopher
- George Hacker (20th century), U.S. lawyer, head of the Alcohol Policies Project
- Marilyn Hacker (b. 1942), American poet, critic, and reviewer
- The Hacker (Michel Amato, b. 1972), French electroclash and techno producer
Fictional
- Jim Hacker, the title character of Yes Minister
- J. Random Hacker, the mythical/archetypal hacker nerd
- Hacker from TV show Cyberchase
Other definitions
Hacker may also refer to:- Hacker (folklore), a mythological race in Scandinavian folklore
- A mediocre golfer
- Someone who practises casual equestrianism, in particular trail riding
- A person skilled in the creation of a hack (masonry)
- A musician who plays out of turn or shows off constantly
- A player of NetHack, and other rogue-like games
- Hacker and hack are also terms for a taxicab driver (from the shortened form of hackney carriage).
- A brewery which merged with Pschorr in 1972, now the Hacker-Pschorr Brewery, and the beer it produces.
See also
- Hack (disambiguation)
- Hacking (disambiguation)
References
hacker in German: Hacker (Begriffsklärung)
hacker in French: Hacker
hacker in Korean: 해커 (동음이의)
hacker in Japanese: ハッカー (曖昧さ回避)
hacker in Polish: Haker
Hackers web