English Reference
Noun

hanger

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈhæŋɝ/ UK /hˈæŋɐ/ hang·er UK spelling hangers

n.the feeling of being angry or annoyed because you are hungry. It is a mix of the words 'hungry' and 'angry'.

n.a state of irritability or anger caused by a lack of food. An informal portmanteau of 'hungry' and 'angry'.


SIMPLE

I get terrible hanger if I skip lunch.

CONTEXTUAL

She apologized for her short temper, explaining that it was just hanger and she needed a snack.

COMPLEX

While often discussed in a lighthearted context, hanger reflects a genuine physiological response where low blood sugar levels trigger the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

Usage

Typically used in informal spoken English to explain sudden irritability.

Thirty to 40, it claims, wildly, “consisting mostly of standard velvet or plastic hangers”.

The Guardian· 24 Aug 2026

Etymology 1

Inherited from Middle English hanger, haunger, hangere, equivalent to hang + -er. Cognate with West Frisian hinger (“hanger”), Dutch hanger (“hanger”), German Hänger (“hanger”), Henker (“hangman”), Danish hænger (“hanger”), Norwegian henger (“hanger”), Swedish hängare (“hanger”).

Etymology 2

Blend of hunger + anger.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English hanger
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated