crackerjack

noun

crack·er·jack | \ ˈkra-kər-ˌjak

variants: or less commonly crackajack \ ˈkra-kə-ˌjak

Definition of crackerjack

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a person or thing of marked excellence

Cracker Jack

trademark

Crack·er Jack | \ ˈkra-kər-ˌjak

Definition of Cracker Jack (Entry 2 of 2)

—used for a candied popcorn confection

Other Words from crackerjack Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about crackerjack

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Did You Know?

The late 19th-century pairing of crack and jack to form crackerjack topped off a long history for those words. Cracker is an elongation of crack, an adjective meaning "expert" or "superior" that dates from the 18th century. Prior to that, crack was a noun meaning "something superior" and a verb meaning "to boast." (The verb use evolved from the expression "to crack a boast," which came from the sense of crack meaning "to make a loud sharp sound.") Jack has been used for "man" since the mid-1500s, as in "jack-of-all-trades." Crackerjack entered English first as a noun referring to "a person or thing of marked excellence," then as an adjective. You may also know Cracker Jack as a snack of candied popcorn and peanuts. That trademarked name dates from the 1890s.

Examples of crackerjack in a Sentence

Noun

a young prospect who's supposed to be a crackerjack on the baseball diamond the cheese maker's aged cheddar is a real crackerjack

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

For more than a century, opening day in Washington afforded presidents an opportunity to mix with their constituents by tossing out the ceremonial first pitch, chomping on peanuts and crackerjacks and voicing an opinion about an umpire's call. — chicagotribune.com, "Donald Trump's divisive decision to skip opening day," 5 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crackerjack.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.