kicker

noun kick·er \ ˈki-kər \

|Updated on: 6 Jul 2018

Examples: kicker in a Sentence

Definition of kicker

1 : one that kicks or kicks something

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

See kicker defined for English-language learners

Examples of kicker in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of kicker from the Web

And the two guys over 30, aside from Lee, are kicker Dan Bailey and long-snapper L.P. Ladoucer.

— albert breer, SI.com, "Everybody Wants to Talk to Lincoln Riley," 25 June 2018
Vedvik, a kicker/punter who signed with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent, posted an Instagram video of himself driving a ball from the 40-yard line inside the Under Armour Performance Center on Wednesday.

— katherine fominykh, baltimoresun.com, "Ravens undrafted kicker Kaare Vedvik blasts 70-yard field goal at training facility," 21 June 2018
Diamond is the kicker on the Ramona football team and also plays quarterback. running back and defensive back.

— john maffei, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Ramona standout chosen for USA Baseball Tournament of Stars," 20 June 2018
The kicker, though, is its battery life: seven days in smartwatch mode, or five hours with GPS and music use.

— valentina palladino, Ars Technica, "Garmin’s new Vivoactive 3 Music is the best competitor to the Apple Watch," 13 June 2018
Chris Pratt, at medium buff, returns as a raptor wrangler–slash–butt-kicker with a heart of gold, while Bryce Dallas Howard’s formerly cold corporate cynic has become a champion for dinosaur preservation.

— richard lawson, HWD, "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom," 5 June 2018
That percentage of income that goes to rent, known as an individual or family’s housing cost burden, was the real kicker for L.A. being rated worst in the country this year.

— brittany martin, Los Angeles Magazine, "Los Angeles is the Literal Worst City for Renters According to New Research," 25 Apr. 2018
Dan Bailey Advertisement Dallas Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey, with the media after the special teams walk through, talks about the new PAT distance for the upcoming season.

— drew davison, star-telegram, "Taking flight: Cowboys' kicker Dan Bailey explains his passion for flying," 18 June 2018
Its kicker: Madaleno kissing his husband, Mark Hodge.

— michael dresser, baltimoresun.com, "Maryland Democrat Madaleno tells Donald Trump to kiss off in ad for his governor's campaign," 6 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.

First Known Use of kicker

circa 1580

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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Financial Definition of KICKER

kicker

noun

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 Defined for English Language Learners

kicker

noun

Definition of kicker for English Language Learners

: a person who kicks something; especially : a person who specializes in kicking the ball in a sport like American football
: a sudden and surprising occurrence, remark, etc.