hammock

1 of 2

noun (1)

ham·​mock ˈha-mək 

: a swinging couch or bed usually made of netting or canvas and slung by cords from supports at each end

Illustration of hammock

• ¹hammock

hammock

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

: hummock

2

: a fertile area in the southern U.S. and especially Florida that is usually higher than its surroundings and that is characterized by hardwood vegetation and deep humus-rich soil

Examples of hammock in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Additionally, hammocks are an affordable way to add a playful element to bedrooms, playrooms, or family rooms. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2025

There's a private pier, overwater hammocks, lounges nestled into the mangrove forest, and two miles of pristine beach. —Jacqui Gifford, Travel + Leisure, 30 Jan. 2025

On his way past the lagoon, Gilligan passes Mrs. Howell, who has been trying to drown herself but never has the nerve, always coming and standing dripping wet in the doorway to the Howells’ hut, Mr. Howell lounging in his hammock with his thoughts of Ginger. —Mark Richard, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025

These include Palmetto-Pine Country Club and Coral Oaks Golf Course, built in the 1980s within a beautiful oak hammock dating back a century. —Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Spanish hamaca, from Taino

Noun (2)

earlier hammok, hommoke, humock; akin to Middle Low German hummel small height, hump bump — more at hump

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1626, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hammock

• aerodynamic
• geodynamic
• haemodynamic
• hemodynamic
• hydrodynamic
• hypothalamic
• photodynamic
• psychodynamic
• spinothalamic
• thermodynamic
• ceramic
• dynamic

Kids Definition

hammock

noun

ham·​mock

ˈham-ək

: a swinging couch or bed usually made of netting or canvas and slung by cords from supports at each end