kicker

noun

kick·er | \ ˈki-kər

Definition of kicker

1 : one that kicks or kicks something

2 : an unexpected and surprising remark, revelation, or set of circumstances

Examples of kicker in a Sentence

The real kicker came when the chairman announced that he was quitting.

Recent Examples on the Web

Garoppolo is ninth on the 49ers and sits behind kicker Robbie Gould, who has an 85. — Noel Harris, sacbee, "‘It’s not so much the rating’: Why Jimmy Garoppolo’s ‘Madden NFL 19’ score causes stir," 10 July 2018 Here’s the kicker: In a Saturday tweet calling for those accounts to be deleted, Trump appeared to be reacting to a story from Craig Timberg and Elizabeth Dwoskin at the self-same Washington Post. — Emily Stewart, Vox, "Trump wants Twitter to delete the New York Times’ and the Washington Post’s accounts.," 7 July 2018 As kickers in the NFL, Matt Bahr and Chris Bahr each played on two Super Bowl champions. — Ronald Blum, Washington Post, "Walter Bahr, last member of U.S. soccer team that upset England in 1950, dies at 91," 20 June 2018 Zach Ertz was the first pick, to Wentz, followed by Hucks’ selection of kicker Jake Elliott. — Kalyn Kahler, SI.com, "For One Night, Carson Wentz Returns to the Field," 3 June 2018 The rule changes are as follows: • The kickoff team must line up with five players on each side of the ball (five players, the kicker in the middle, and five more players. — Mike Jones, USA TODAY, "NFL owners approve rule changes for kickoff, review of ejections," 22 May 2018 Molique is considered one of the top kickers in the area after a strong junior season that saw him make 44 of his 48 extra-point attempts and four of his six field goal tries. — Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati.com, "Recruiting Trail: Lakota East's Trammel picks NKU soccer," 13 July 2018 Once the sequence of kickers is settled the ball is placed on the spot, 11 metres (36 feet) from the goal, the mouth of which is 2.4 metres high and 7.3 metres wide. — The Economist, "A practical guide to the most nail-biting part of the World Cup," 21 June 2018 With two-time Big Ten kicker of the year Griffin Oakes' graduation, the position is a big question mark. — Andrew Hussey, Indianapolis Star, "Highly-ranked recruit looking to take over IU's kicking duties," 11 June 2018

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

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Last Updated

14 Sep 2018

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Time Traveler for kicker

The first known use of kicker was circa 1580

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More Definitions for kicker

kicker

noun

Financial Definition of kicker

What It Is

In the finance world, a kicker is a feature that makes a security more attractive.

How It Works

Often, kickers are equity kickers, which are the right but not the obligation to buy shares of the issuer of a bond. These equity kickers come with the bond, making them more saleable to investors.

Sometimes, kickers aren't useful. For instance, they might offer the bondholder the right to buy shares at $8 a share, which only comes in handy if the shares are trading above $8. In those cases, the bond issuer might increase the coupon rate instead.

Why It Matters

Kickers get deals done. They make securities more saleable, and they help companies raise the capital they need to raise to grow. For investors, kickers can raise the gains or profits they might earn on a security.

Source: Investing Answers

kicker

noun