Definitions
01storage compartment
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. a small cupboard with a lock where you can keep your bags, clothes, or books safe.
n. a small, lockable cupboard or compartment used for the secure storage of personal effects in public or institutional buildings.
“I forgot my gym clothes in my locker at school.”
“The university provides students with individual lockers in the hallway to store their heavy textbooks between lectures.”
Usage
usually countable
02on a ship
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Technical
n. a storage space on a ship or boat.
n. a storage compartment on a maritime vessel, which may or may not be equipped with a lock.
“The sailors kept their rain gear in a small locker on the deck.”
“The captain ordered the crew to secure all loose equipment in the chain locker before the storm reached its peak.”
Usage
often used in nautical contexts
Teaching tip
Learners may encounter this in literature or technical manuals; it does not always imply the presence of a physical lock.
03a closet
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Dialect · American English
n. a small room or cupboard for clothes.
n. a closet or small storage room.
“She hung her coat in the locker by the front door.”
“In older homes across southern Louisiana, it is common to hear residents refer to a bedroom closet simply as a locker.”
Usage
specific to Louisiana and certain Gulf Coast regions
Teaching tip
This is a highly regional term; students should be aware of it only if they are living in or visiting the southern United States.
Etymology
From lock + -er (patient suffix) or -er (agent noun suffix). Cognate with German Loch, Dutch luik, and Dutch loket.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/locker
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0