hummer: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Medium (familiar brand name; other senses are low frequency)Informal (for the vehicle and baseball senses); Technical/Specialised (for the ornithology sense).
Quick answer
What does “hummer” mean?
A brand of large, powerful, luxury sport utility vehicles (SUVs) or pickup trucks.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A brand of large, powerful, luxury sport utility vehicles (SUVs) or pickup trucks.
Informally, something or someone that makes a humming sound. In baseball, a very fast pitch. In ornithology, a hummingbird.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The vehicle is an American brand and the term is far more common in US contexts. 'Hummer' for hummingbird is chiefly North American; a British speaker would say 'hummingbird'.
Connotations
In the US, the vehicle connotes military-derived power, luxury, and gas-guzzling excess. In the UK, it is seen as an iconic, oversized American vehicle.
Frequency
The term is significantly more frequent in American English.
Grammar
How to Use “hummer” in a Sentence
He drives a [Hummer]The new [Hummer] EV is powerful.They spotted a [hummer] (bird) at the feeder.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hummer” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Verb form 'to hum' exists; 'hummer' is not a verb.]
American English
- [Verb form 'to hum' exists; 'hummer' is not a verb.]
adverb
British English
- [Not used as an adverb.]
American English
- [Not used as an adverb.]
adjective
British English
- [Not standard as an adjective.]
American English
- He has that Hummer mentality. (colloquial, derived from the noun)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
In automotive industry/marketing contexts: 'GM announced the return of the Hummer as an electric brand.'
Academic
Rare, except in environmental studies discussing fuel consumption: 'The ecological impact of vehicles like the Hummer...'
Everyday
Discussing cars or spotting large vehicles: 'He just bought a massive yellow Hummer.'
Technical
In ornithology/casual birdwatching: 'We saw a tiny ruby-throated hummer today.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hummer”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hummer”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hummer”
- Using 'hummer' for any SUV (it's a specific brand).
- Spelling as 'humer' or 'humor'.
- Mispronouncing as /ˈhjuːmər/ (it's /ˈhʌmər/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, but it most commonly is. It can also informally mean a hummingbird or, in baseball, a very fast pitch.
For the vehicle, use 'Hummer' (capitalised as a brand name). For the bird, 'hummingbird' is the formal term; 'hummer' is colloquial.
Yes, but primarily to refer to the specific American vehicle brand. The 'hummingbird' shortening is not common in the UK.
It comes from 'High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle' (HMMWV), the official military designation, which soldiers pronounced as 'Humvee'. The civilian version was branded 'Hummer'.
A brand of large, powerful, luxury sport utility vehicles (SUVs) or pickup trucks.
Hummer: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhʌm.ər/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhʌm.ɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for 'hummer']”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
HUMMER: HUge Monster Moving Everywhere Roughly. (Links to its size and off-road capability.)
Conceptual Metaphor
VEHICLE AS A BEAST/TANK (powerful, imposing, rugged, military-like).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'hummer' LEAST likely refer to a vehicle?