Meaning of the word hacker in English

What does hacker mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

hacker

US /ˈhæk.ɚ/
UK /ˈhæk.ər/
"hacker" picture

Noun

1.

a person who uses computers to gain unauthorized access to data

Example:
The company hired a cybersecurity expert to protect against hackers.
A skilled hacker managed to breach the government's secure network.
2.

an enthusiastic and skillful computer programmer or user

Example:
He's a true coding hacker, always finding clever solutions to complex problems.
The term 'hacker' originally referred to someone who enjoyed exploring and pushing the limits of computer systems.