English Reference
noun

trucker

n.
US /ˈtɹəkɝ/ UK /tɹˈʌkɐ/ truck·er UK spelling truckers

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    a person who drives a truck as their job, often traveling long distances.

    a professional driver of a truck or heavy goods vehicle, typically engaged in long-haul transport.

    Simple

    The trucker stopped at a roadside café for a coffee before continuing his long journey.

    In context

    Experienced truckers often prefer driving at night when the motorways are less congested and they can maintain a steady pace.

    lorry drivertruck driverhaulier
  2. 02 C2 Proficiency DialectBritish EnglishArchaic

    a person who is dishonest or cannot be trusted.

    a deceitful or disreputable person; a rogue or cheat.

    Simple

    He was known as a bit of a trucker who would always try to trick people out of their money.

    In context

    The local stories described him as a notorious trucker, warning newcomers not to enter into any business agreements with him.

    Usage

    Primarily found in older Scottish or Northern English dialects.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is archaic and dialectal; modern learners will almost exclusively encounter 'trucker' in the context of driving.

    honest person

Etymology 1

From Middle English *trukere (“one who disappoints, a deceiver”), from Middle English trukien (“to fail, run out, disappoint”), equivalent to truck (“to fail”) + -er (agent noun suffix). Compare trooker.

Etymology 2

From truck (“a vehicle”) + -er (occupational suffix).

Etymology 3

From truck (“to barter, trade”) + -er (agent noun suffix).

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

This entry
Origin Middle English trukien
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated