Skip to main content
nicker

nicker

2 9.9
A soft low sound a horse makes as a greeting or when it expects food
  • noun
  • /ˈnɪkər/
translation icon : relincho
  • The friendly mare greeted her owner with a gentle nicker as he entered the barn.

Examples

  • " Whinney greeted him with a welcoming nicker, and Wolf with enthusiastic puppy barks that worked their way into a full-throated howl.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • As I approached the stable, I heard the horse give a soft nicker in anticipation of its dinner.

  • When the carrots were brought out, the horses responded with eager nickers.

Synonyms

whinny
vsnicker
11 6.4

A high, gentle sound a horse makes

is lower and quieter, often used as a friendly or food signal
neigh
vsnicker
6 4.6

A loud, high sound that a horse makes

is a softer low sound serving as a greeting or food cue
whicker
vsnicker
9.9

A soft neigh a horse makes when it greets or calls

is softer and lower used as a greeting or when expecting food

Antonyms

660 2.0

A period with no sound or speech

Compounds

9.9

Hard shiny grey seed from a tropical tree that people use to make jewelry and decorations

9.9

A hard shiny grey seed from a tree often used to make jewelry

How Loud

to neigh
3 3.7
to whinny
1 5.6
nicker
2 9.9

Surface Forms

nicker singular
nickers plural

Etymology

Nicker copies the soft 'neigh' a horse makes when it greets someone, so it sounds like the noise itself. So a nicker is the low, friendly sound a horse makes.