Hopper Meaning
/ˈhɒp.ə(ɹ)/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounOne who or that which hops.
nounA temporary storage bin, filled from the top and emptied from the bottom, often funnel-shaped.
Sentence Examples
First, they load crushed dry ice into a hopper suspended under a big helium balloon.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The grain elevator's large metal ____ was filled with corn.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The grain was poured into the large ____ at the top of the silo for storage.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English hoppere, alteration of *hoppe (found in grashoppe (“grasshopper”)), from Old English *hoppa (“one who hops, hopper”), equivalent to hop + -er. Cognate with Dutch hopper (“hopper”), Swedish hoppare (“hopper, jumper”), Icelandic hoppari (“hopper”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"I went over and found the mealies and ground covered with large hoppers, about two weeks old."
— 1901, J. H. Stansell, “Locust Destruction”, in The Agricultural Journal and Mining Record, volume 4, page 21:
"“And the next year the hoppers came. The sky was so dark with them we had to light the lamps at midday.”"
— 1975, Larry Woiwode, Beyond the Bedroom Wall, page 27:
"The fresh-water container for the house was above the ceiling directly over the toilet. One day, I was comfortably seated on the hopper minding my own business, when a large portion of the ceiling came crashing down […]"
— 2010, Robert Hudson, Stories of an Unusual Life, page 250:
"The Leo, Pao (or Cannon, a piece from Chinese chess) and Vao (Z.Mach FCR 1940) are hybrid hoppers that move like a queen, rook or bishop and capture along these lines like a lion."
— 2010 August 21, G. P. Jelliss, “Simple Chess Variants”, in Mayhematics, page 11:
"Hoppers come in different varieties and can be sweet or savoury, while an egg hopper has an egg in the middle added during cooking."
— 2010, Channa Dassanayaka, Sri Lankan Flavours, page 20:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The grain elevator's large metal ____ was filled with corn.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The grain was poured into the large ____ at the top of the silo for storage.