hamper
/ˈhæm.pɚ/noun, verb
hamper is spelled H-A-M-P-E-R: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 1.8 times per million words in written English, the 20,629th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, hamper means “A large basket, usually with a cover, used for the packing and carrying of articles or small animals” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of hamper is hampers.
How many letters and syllables are in hamper?
| Letters | 6: H-A-M-P-E-R |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.8 times per million words; the 20,629th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is hamper?
Hamper appears 1.8 times per million words in written English, the 20,629th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce hamper?
- UK /ˈhæm.pə/
- British /ˈham.pə/
- US /ˈhæm.pɚ/
Hamper has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-hamper.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with hamper?
6 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as hamper from its last stressed vowel (/æmpəɹ/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of hamper
- hampers plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- hampire
- hampering participle, present
- hampered participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does hamper mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A large basket, usually with a cover, used for the packing and carrying of articles or small animals.
a hamper of wine
- 2
USA wicker or plastic basket specifically for holding laundry (from clothes hamper).
- 3
UKA gift basket.
- 4
A shackle; a fetter; anything which impedes.
- 5
Articles ordinarily indispensable, but in the way at certain times.
verb
- 1
To put into a hamper.
Competition pigeons are hampered for the truck trip to the point of release where the race back starts.
- 2
To put a hamper or fetter on; to shackle.
Near-synonym: hobble
- 3
To impede in motion or progress.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Hamper in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | panier d'osier, bourriche , entraver , empêcher , obstacle |
| German | Korb , sich verstricken, sich verheddern , aufhalten, behindern, hemmen |
| Portuguese | balaio, seira, canastra , impedir, estorvar, obstruir |
| Spanish | cesto, canasto, canastro, banasta, banasto, cuévano |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does hamper come from?
From Middle English hamper, contracted from hanaper, hanypere, from Anglo-Norman hanaper, Old French hanapier, hanepier (“case for holding a large goblet or cup”), from hanap (“goblet, drinking cup”), from Frankish *hnapp (“cup, bowl, basin”), from Proto-Germanic *hnappaz (“cup, bowl”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).