hackle

1 of 2

noun

hack·​le ˈha-kəl 

1

a

: one of the long narrow feathers on the neck or saddle of a bird

b

: the neck plumage of the domestic fowl

2

: a comb or board with long metal teeth for dressing flax, hemp, or jute

3

hackles ˈha-kəlz  plural

a

: erectile hairs along the neck and back especially of a dog

b

: temper, dander

the issue raised some hackles

4

a

: an artificial fishing fly made chiefly of the filaments of a cock's neck feathers

b

: filaments of cock feather projecting from the head of an artificial fly

hackle

2 of 2

verb

hackled; hackling ˈha-k(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

: to comb out with a hackle

hackler

ˈha-k(ə-)lər 

noun

Did you know?

In its earliest uses in the 15th century, hackle denoted either a bird's neck plumage or an instrument used to comb out long fibers of flax, hemp, or jute. Apparently, some folks saw a resemblance between the neck feathers of domestic birds—which, on a male, become erect when the bird is defensive—and the prongs of the comb-like tool. In the 19th century, English speakers extended the word's use to both dogs and people. Like the bird's feathers, the erectile hairs on the back of a dog's neck stand up when the animal is agitated. With humans, use of the word hackles is usually figurative. When you raise someone's hackles, you make them angry or put them on the defensive.

Examples of hackle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Indeed, mention of Watson sometimes raises hackles within that community. —IEEE Spectrum, 29 May 2015

Adams, who’s currently being prosecuted by the Department of Justice on corruption charges, has raised hackles with fellow Democrats for refraining from criticizing Trump, who has made supportive comments about Adams amid the charges. —Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 13 Nov. 2024

Microsoft also raised hackles by proposing its own alternative to WebRTC in August, when working groups at both the W3C and IETF were nearing the end of the project. —IEEE Spectrum, 24 Oct. 2012

As his questioning crosses taboos and boundaries, raising Sister Barnes’ hackles, cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung’s camera, which has been cutting between various degrees of close-up as the conversation progresses, breaks free from stasis. —Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English hakell; akin to Old High German hāko hook — more at hook

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1599, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

hackle

noun

hack·​le

ˈhak-əl

1

: a comb for smoothing fibers (as flax or hemp)

2

: one of the long narrow feathers on the neck or lower back of a bird

3

: hairs along the neck and back especially of a dog that can be made to stand up