crackerjack

See also: cracker-jack and Cracker Jack

English

Alternative forms

• crackajack, crack-a-jack, cracker-jack, cracker jack

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkɹækɚd͡ʒæk/

• Audio (Australia):

  (file)

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

English crack

Proto-Indo-European *-yósder.

Proto-Italic *-āzios

Latin -āriusnom.

Latin -āriusbor.

Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz

Proto-West Germanic *-ārī

Old English -ere

Middle English -ere

English -er

English jack

English crackerjack

From crack (“highly skilled, excellent”) + -er + jack (“man”).

Adjective

crackerjack (comparative more crackerjack, superlative most crackerjack)

1. Exceptionally fine or excellent; top-notch; high quality.

   Near-synonym: cracking

2. Expert, top-rated or high-performing.

   Near-synonym: cracking

Noun

crackerjack (plural crackerjacks)

1. An exceptionally fine or excellent thing or person.
2. An expert or top-rated individual (e.g., a marksman).

Etymology 2

From the trademark Cracker Jack popcorn snack featuring a blue sailor-suited man on the box.

Adjective

crackerjack (not comparable)

1. (US, slang) Referring to clothing items (pants, jersey, collar) that constitute the traditional blue uniform of the enlisted men of the US Navy.

Noun

crackerjack (countable and uncountable, plural crackerjacks)

2. (US, slang, in the plural) The traditional blue uniforms of the enlisted men of the US Navy.
4. (US, slang) A U.S. Navy sailor.

   Hypernyms: jack, sailor

6. (US, uncountable) Alternative form of cracker jack; popcorn candied in molasses-flavored caramel and peanuts.

   Coordinate term: cracker jacks

   • 1946, James T. Farrell, Bernard Clare, page 280:

     "Here, here's the popcorn man," Sid said as a vendor passed, pushing a cart. Sid bought a package of crackerjack and opened it while Mickey jumped up and down, unable to wait.

See also

• crackerjack on Wikipedia.Wikipedia