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
Friends emerge from the weekend with a lot of hickeys. Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 10 Apr. 2025 Here are some tricks for how to remove a hickey beyond the old scarf or turtleneck trick. Lindsey Ellefson, Glamour, 28 Dec. 2024 Here are some tricks for how to remove a hickey beyond the old scarf or turtleneck trick. Lindsey Ellefson, Glamour, 28 Dec. 2024 Here are some tricks for how to remove a hickey beyond the old scarf or turtleneck trick. Lindsey Ellefson, Glamour, 28 Dec. 2024 Here are some tricks for how to remove a hickey beyond the old scarf or turtleneck trick. Lindsey Ellefson, Glamour, 28 Dec. 2024 In other words, don't bother asking how to get rid of a hickey fast. Lindsey Ellefson, Glamour, 28 Dec. 2024 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

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hickey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hickey. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

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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