hickey

1 of 2

noun (1)

hick·​ey ˈhi-kē How to pronounce hickey (audio)
plural hickeys
: gadget

hickey

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural hickeys
1
a
: pimple
b
: a temporary red mark or bruise on the skin (such as one produced by biting and sucking)
2
plural also hickies : a small imperfection in printing

Examples of hickey in a Sentence

Noun (1) I lost the hickey that locks and unlocks the car's doors by remote control Noun (2) the last thing she needed on her wedding day was a hickey for her radiant face
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The final piece of the puzzle snaps into place as the gang attends a party thrown by Mac’s friend and former producer Roya (Haven Burton), who happens to own the monkey that gave Mac that embarrassing small-mouth hickey. Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024 The suction cups are left on the body somewhere between five to 10 minutes, which is why the circle marks (which are comparable to a bruise… or even a hickey) appear. Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 3 Aug. 2024 The follow-up to 2018's Dirty Computer trades in the high-concept, sci-fi world-building of her previous releases for hickeys, bottle-popping, and a heady feast of all things carnal. Owen Myers, EW.com, 8 July 2023 Did fans correctly spot a hickey on the neck of Swift's favorite tight end? Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 28 Dec. 2023 But many of the essays are memories, musings on dreams (in both senses of the word), and ponderings on everything from hickeys to hummingbirds. Karen Campbell, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Dec. 2023 How to hide a hickey with makeup Outside of wearing scarves and turtlenecks 24-7, the easiest way to remove a hickey is by covering it up with makeup. Jasmine Washington, Seventeen, 3 Feb. 2023 Amador said an expert looked at the physical evidence but could not determine if her apparent bruises were hickeys instead. Josh Peter, USA TODAY, 11 May 2023 The woman initially characterized them as hickeys, according to previous statements by her and others. Josh Peter, USA TODAY, 11 May 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1913, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1918, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hickey was in 1913

Dictionary Entries Near hickey

Cite this Entry

“Hickey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hickey. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

hickey

noun
hick·​ey ˈhik-ē How to pronounce hickey (audio)
plural hickeys
1
: pimple
2
: a temporary red mark produced especially in lovemaking by biting and sucking the skin
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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