clinker

UK: /ˈklɪŋkə/ US: /ˈklɪŋkɚ/ ,(kling′kər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

clink•er¹ /ˈklɪŋkɚ/   n. [uncountable]

1. Mining a mass of matter that cannot be burnt and is fused together, as by the burning of coal.

clink•er³ /ˈklɪŋkɚ/   n. [countable] Slang.

1. Slang Terms a wrong note in a musical performance.
2. Slang Terms any mistake or error.
3. Slang Terms a failure;
   a product of inferior quality:
   The car turned out to be a clinker.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

clink•er¹  (kling′kər), n. 

1. Mining a mass of incombustible matter fused together, as in the burning of coal.
2. Building a hard Dutch brick, used esp. for paving.
3. Building a partially vitrified mass of brick.
4. the scale of oxide formed on iron during forging.
5. Geology a mass of vitrified material ejected from a volcano.

v.i. 

6. Mining to form clinkers in burning.

• Dutch klinker kind of brick, slag
• 1635–45

clink•er²  (kling′kər), n. 

1. a person or thing that clinks.

• clink¹ + -er¹ 1680–90

clink•er³  (kling′kər), n. [Slang.]

1. Slang Terms a wrong note in a musical performance.
2. Slang Terms any mistake or error.
3. Slang Terms something that is a failure;
   a product of inferior quality.
4. British Terms someone or something wonderful or exceedingly well-liked.

• special use of clinker² 1830–40

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

clinker / ˈklɪŋkə/ noun

1. the ash and partially fused residues from a coal-fired furnace or fire
2. a partially vitrified brick or mass of brick
3. something of poor quality, such as a film

verb

1. (intransitive) to form clinker during burning

Etymology: 17th Century: from Dutch klinker a type of brick, from obsolete klinckaerd, literally: something that clinks (referring to the sound produced when one was struck), from klinken to clink¹