Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One that is extraordinary or remarkable.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Something that is particularly outstanding, unusual, or exceptional.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun someone of remarkable excellence

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Origin unknown.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Of obscure origin.

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Examples

  • KING: You have used the term humdinger, saying that, when people understand all of the information about this case, all of the facts, it will be one humdinger of a case.

    CNN Transcript Jul 21, 2009 2009

  • Jane, you used the term humdinger about three segments ago.

    CNN Transcript Jul 17, 2009 2009

  • Jane, you used the term humdinger about three segments ago.

    CNN Transcript Jul 17, 2009 2009

  • KING: You have used the term humdinger, saying, that when people understand all of the information about this case, all of the facts it will be one humdinger of a case.

    CNN Transcript Jul 21, 2009 2009

  • My favorite is a "humdinger" - a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the bottom, chocolate snowball, topped off with extra marshmallow.

    Blog updates 2009

  • "When we do get a rain here it is usually what the boys call a humdinger," said Rhoda.

    Nan Sherwood at Rose Ranch Annie Roe Carr

  • But as investigators soon discovered, this has become, in Sheriff Morgan's memorable description, one "humdinger" of a case.

    Murder in the Panhandle 2009

  • I choose to believe that it's short for "humdinger"?

    Oh, and... Ann Althouse 2006

  • "That's going to be what Marty would call a 'humdinger' of a storm, Janice."

    How Janice Day Won Helen Beecher Long

  • Captain Hunniwell, after a chuckle of appreciation over the "humdinger," began to tell his friend what little he had learned concerning the Armstrongs.

    Shavings Joseph Crosby Lincoln 1907

Comments

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  • What do you get if you cross a doorbell with a hummingbird?

    March 6, 2010

  • bellbird?

    March 6, 2010