hooky

English

Pronunciation

• Homophones: hookey, hookie

Etymology 1

Attested in 1848 in New York City. Most likely from Dutch hoekje ("nook, corner; but also 'spot to hide' in hide-and-go-seek"). Formerly, "hoekje spelen" could be used to mean "to play hide-and-go-seek", though the common term for the game nowadays is verstoppertje.

Noun

hooky (uncountable)

1. Absence from school or work. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

   Let's play hooky and go to the mall.

Derived terms

• play hooky

Etymology 2

From hook +‎ -y

Adjective

hooky (comparative hookier, superlative hookiest)

1. Full of hooks.
2. Shaped like a hook.

Anagrams

• hokyo