English vocabulary · C1
Humdinger
/ˈhʌmˌdɪŋ.ɚ/ · n.
Humdinger is something very good or very big. It makes people stop and look.
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Example sentences
- That game was a humdinger from start to end.
- Her new pie was a humdinger at the fair.
Word origin and roots
- origin — unknown
Synonyms and nuances
- DOOZY — something very good (A Big One)
- STANDOUT — better than the rest (Hard To Miss)
- STUNNER — a big surprise (Stops A Room)
Lesson notes
Humdinger is something very good or very big. It makes people stop and look.
Related: doozy, standout, stunner. Use humdinger when something is much better than you thought.
That game was a humdinger from start to end. Her new pie was a humdinger at the fair.
Humdinger has no known origin. It first appeared in American English around 1900. No one knows where it came from, but everyone knows a surprise that makes people stop.