naker

N1A1K5E1R1
/ˈneɪkə/

noun

A small drum, of Arabic origin, and the forebear of the European kettledrum.

OriginOld French nacaire ← Arabic نَقَّارَة →
Scrabble 9
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Meanings

nounnaker (plural nakers)

plural nakers · alternative nakir

  1. entertainmentA small drum, of Arabic origin, and the forebear of the European kettledrum.

    the Norman trumpets from the battlements […], mingled with the deep and hollow clang of the nakers, (a species of kettle-drum,) retorted in notes of defiance the challenge of the enemy.

    1819, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
timpani

Origin

  1. Arabicنَقَّارَة“drum”
  2. Old Frenchnacaire
  3. Englishnaker

borrowed from Old French nacaire, nacre (cognate with Italian nacchera, mediaeval Latin nacara), ultimately derived from Arabic نَقَّارَة (naqqāra, “drum”). Doublet of nacre.

More words from Old French, Arabic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan nacra
  • nacratype of drum
Finnish naqqara
  • naqqaratype of drum
Hindi नगाड़ा
  • नगाड़ा (nagāṛā)type of drum
Punjabi ਨਗਾਰਾ, ਨਗਾੜਾ
  • ਨਗਾਰਾ (nagārā)type of drum
  • ਨਗਾੜਾ (nagāṛā)type of drum
Russian нагара́
  • нагара́ (nagará)type of drum
Tamil நகரா
  • நகரா (nakarā)type of drum

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

karenankerKranenerka
Cite this entry
APA

naker. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/naker

MLA

“naker.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/naker. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “naker,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/naker.

Source: naker on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.