joker
/ˈd͡ʒoʊkɚ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.74 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A jester.
noun
A playing card that features a picture of a joker (that is, a jester) and that may be used as a wild card in some card games.
noun
Something kept in reserve that can be used to gain an advantage; a trump card.
noun
noun
Example Sentences
- "Rebus decided to use their joker. 'Mr Lintz made a phone call to this office. He was talking for over twenty minutes.'"
- "Tash Wilson played her 'joker' , pulling her chair so close our legs were almost touching. 'Hey, Chris, do you want to go out sometime? All you've got to do is say the word.'"
- "The director made me understand that my bubble of stardom could burst just as soon as it had been inflated if I didn't watch my attitude. Then he used his joker. I had an understudy so if I messed up or tried to create a scene, I would be summarily replaced."
- "Some joker keeps throwing eggs at my windows."
- "Don't waste your breath on these jokers round here."
- "Discussion of contracts and the many provisions contained therein led to a vote making it the sense of the convention that manufacturers should use a simple sales contract, free from jokers."
Etymology
From joke + -er, but in the sense of a playing card possibly by alteration of German Jucker, also the origin of the name of the card game euchre.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈd͡ʒoʊkɚ/
- British English: /ˈd͡ʒəʊkə/
Usage
Inflected Forms
jokers (plural)
the Joker (canonical)