dicker

UK: /ˈdɪkə/ US: /ˈdɪkɚ/ ,(dik′ər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

dick•er¹ /ˈdɪkɚ/   v. [no object]

1. to bargain;
   haggle:
   We dickered over the price.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dick•er¹  (dik′ər), v.i. 

1. to deal, swap, or trade with petty bargaining;
   bargain;
   haggle.
2. to barter.
3. to try to arrange matters by mutual bargaining:
   They dickered for hours over some of the finer points of the contract.

n. 

4. a petty bargain.
5. a barter or swap.
6. an item or goods bartered or swapped.
7. a deal, esp. a political deal.

• perh. verb, verbal use of dicker² 1795–1805

dick•er²  (dik′ər), n. 

1. the number or quantity ten, esp. a lot of ten hides or skins.

• Old French dacre, Medieval Latin dikeria; compare Latin decuria decury
• Middle English diker 1225–75

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dicker / ˈdɪkə/ verb

1. to trade (goods) by bargaining; barter

noun

1. a petty bargain or barter

Etymology: 12th Century: ultimately from Latin decuria decury; related to Middle Low German dēker lot of ten hides