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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

What Is a Hacker? Definition, Types & Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：Expert Programmer (Hacker)

Hacker 🔊

/ˈhækər/

A person who is very skilled at using computers and enjoys exploring their limits to solve problems.

Expert Programmer 🔊

➕

/ˈɛkspɜːrt ˈproʊɡræmər/

A person with exceptional programming skills who enjoys exploring systems and solving complex problems.

📁 Category：Technological Inventions 🔖 Level：Advanced

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Derived from 'hack' meaning to cut roughly, later extended to skilled computer manipulation.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a skilled chef 'hacking' a recipe; a hacker does the same with code.

📖 Example

Our company hired a talented hacker to help build a faster and safer app for online shopping. 🔊 Our company hired a talented hacker to help build a faster and safer app for online shopping.

🔗 Collocations

ethical hacker – A hacker who tests security with permission

white-hat hacker – A hacker who uses skills for lawful purposes

hacker culture – The community of skilled programmers and enthusiasts

🔄 Synonyms

programmer (n.) – A person who writes computer code

coder (n.) – A person who writes computer software

🚫 Antonyms

novice (n.) – A beginner with little skill

🌱 Derivatives

hack (v.) – To engage in creative computer programming or manipulation

hackerdom (n.) – The realm or community of hackers

📖 Cultural Story

Originated at MIT in the 1960s where students called themselves hackers for exploring systems. Later media popularized the negative sense of illegal intrusion.

Meaning 2：Cybercriminal (Hacker)

Hacker 🔊

/ˈhækər/

A person who illegally gets into someone else's computer system to steal information or cause damage.

Cybercriminal 🔊

➕

/ˈsaɪbərˌkrɪmɪnl/

A person who breaks into computer systems illegally to steal data, cause damage, or disrupt operations.

📁 Category：Laws & Regulations 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The news reported that a hacker stole personal data from a popular social media website. 🔊 The news reported that a hacker stole personal data from a popular social media website.

🔗 Collocations

black-hat hacker – A hacker who breaks into systems for malicious purposes

hacker attack – An unauthorized attempt to access a computer system

hacker group – A team of individuals working together to carry out cyberattacks

🔄 Synonyms

cracker (n.) – A person who breaks into computer systems with malicious intent

intruder (n.) – Someone who enters a system without permission

🚫 Antonyms

security expert (n.) – A professional who protects systems from attacks

🌱 Derivatives

hack (v.) – To illegally break into a computer system

hacking (n.) – The act of unauthorized access to computers