hopper

noun

hop·​per ˈhä-pər 

1

a

: one that hops

b

: a leaping insect

specifically : an immature hopping form of an insect (such as a grasshopper or locust)

2

[from the shaking motion of hoppers used to feed grain into a mill]

a

: a usually funnel-shaped receptacle for delivering material (such as grain or coal)

also : any of various other receptacles for the temporary storage of material

b

: a freight car with a floor sloping to one or more hinged doors for discharging bulk materials

called also hopper car

c

: a box in which a bill to be considered by a legislative body is dropped

d

: a tank holding liquid and having a device for releasing its contents through a pipe

e

: a mix of things to be considered or done

Examples of hopper in a Sentence

The company has several new product ideas in the hopper.

Recent Examples on the Web

These are fed through a hopper into the reactor vessel to produce a self-regulating fission reaction and are cooled by helium gas that carries off the heat to a heat exchanger to generate steam for electrical generators. —New Atlas, 20 Oct. 2025

In 2018, the Walsall midfielder was travelling to Montserrat, a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, for international duty on an island-hopper plane. —Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025

The Rivelia is De’Longhi’s newest and sleekest model, with dual bean hoppers for easy roast switching, 18 customizable drink recipes, and an accessory for making iced drinks with cold foam. —Melissa Knific, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Oct. 2025

The last time a 3-day park hopper was listed at about this price was 2013, according to MickeyVisit, a third-party Disney news and planning resource. —Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing hopper

• beach hopper
• hip-hopper
• the hopper

Rhymes for hopper

• chopper
• copper
• cropper
• dropper
• pauper
• popper
• proper
• shopper
• stopper
• topper
• whopper
• eavesdropper

Kids Definition

hopper

noun

hop·​per ˈhäp-ər 

1

a

: one that hops

b

: a leaping insect

especially : a young hopping form of an insect

2

a

: a usually funnel-shaped container for delivering material (as grain)

b

: a railroad car with a sloping floor and hinged doors

called also hopper car

c

: a tank with a device for releasing its liquid through a pipe

Biographical Definition

Hopper 1 of 3

biographical name (1)

Hop·​per ˈhä-pər 

Edward 1882–1967 American artist

Hopper

2 of 3

biographical name (2)

Grace 1906–1992 née Grace Brewster Murray American admiral, mathematician, and computer scientist

Hopper

3 of 3

biographical name (3)

(William) DeWolf 1858–1935 American actor