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homer

Etymology and origin of the English word homer

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Homer, a home run or homing pigeon, is formed from home; homer, a Hebrew measure, is a Hebrew word.[1][2]

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈhəʊmə/ (UK); /ˈhoʊmɚ/ (US)[3]

homer1 home run; homing pigeon

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation, Clipping
First attested
1868
Ultimate origin
English (home,-er)

Etymology

The baseball word is short for home run;[4] it is from English home + -er.[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

A home run in baseball: 1868.[4][2]

Semantic evolution

A pigeon trained to fly home from a distance is from 1880.[4][2] The verb, to hit a home run, is in the OED and by 1946 in Etymonline.[2][4] A homing device for missiles is from 1958.[2]

Timeline

  • 1868 – a home run.[4][2]
  • 1880 – a homing pigeon.[4][2]
  • 1946 – to homer (verb).[4]
  • 1958 – a homing device.[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. (baseball, informal) A home run.
  2. A homing pigeon.

Verb

  1. (baseball) To hit a home run.

homer2 Hebrew measure

Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1530
Borrowed from
Biblical Hebrew חֹמֶר

Etymology

The measure is borrowed from Biblical Hebrew חֹמֶר (ḥōmer).[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

A Hebrew measure of capacity: 1530 in Merriam-Webster, 1535 in the OED.[1][2]

Timeline

  • 1530 – homer, a measure.[1]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. An ancient Hebrew unit of capacity equal to ten ephahs or ten baths.
  • home
  • home run
  • homing

Usage notes

The name of the Greek poet Homer, supposed author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, is from Latin Homērus, from Ancient Greek Ὅμηρος (Hómēros), identical with a Greek word for a hostage.[4] In Cornish dialect homer meant homeward (the homer fields).[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Homer.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/homer. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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