# hopper

/ˈhɑpɝ/ (US) · /hˈɒpɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hopper
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. storage container

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a large, funnel-shaped container used to store materials and feed them into a machine from the bottom.

For teachers: a temporary storage bin, typically funnel-shaped, that is filled from the top and dispenses material through the bottom into a machine or process.

- The farmer poured the grain into the hopper so the machine could bag it.
- The industrial shredder was equipped with a reinforced steel hopper to handle the continuous influx of recycled materials.

Usage: Often used in manufacturing, agriculture, and construction contexts.

### 2. jumping insect

noun · CEFR B2

an insect that moves by jumping, such as a grasshopper.

For teachers: any of various insects characterized by their ability to hop, particularly members of the suborder Caelifera or immature locusts.

- The kids spent the afternoon catching hoppers in the tall grass.
- Ecologists noted a significant increase in the hopper population following the unusually warm and dry spring season.

### 3. Sri Lankan food

noun · CEFR B2

a thin, bowl-shaped pancake from Sri Lanka made from rice flour and coconut milk.

For teachers: a traditional Sri Lankan pancake made from a fermented batter of rice flour and coconut milk, typically cooked in a small wok to create a bowl shape.

- We had delicious egg hoppers for breakfast at the local market.
- The chef demonstrated the traditional technique of swirling the fermented batter to ensure the hopper had a crisp edge and a soft center.

### 4. fishing lure

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a type of artificial bait used in fishing that looks like a jumping insect.

For teachers: an artificial fishing lure designed to mimic the appearance and movement of a grasshopper on the water's surface.

- He tied a yellow hopper to his line to attract the trout.
- During the late summer months, fly fishermen often find success using foam hoppers near the riverbanks where insects are most active.

### 5. toilet

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang · Informal

a slang word for a toilet.

For teachers: a slang term for a toilet or latrine.

- He stepped away for a minute to use the hopper.
- The sailors had to share a single cramped hopper during the long voyage across the Atlantic.

Teaching tip: This sense is primarily found in nautical or military slang; it is not common in everyday polite conversation.

## Examples

- The farmer filled the hopper with fresh grain.
- Workers loaded the gravel into the large metal hopper before it was crushed by the machine.
- The automated system monitors the weight of the hopper to ensure a consistent flow of raw materials into the furnace during the manufacturing process.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.