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hackie

American informal slang for a taxicab driver, derived from 'hack' — an old term for a hired carriage or cab.

ˈhæki164 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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#1·Apr 28, 2026

American informal slang for a taxicab driver, derived from 'hack' — an old term for a hired carriage or cab. 'Hackie' adds a diminutive, familiar suffix, giving it a slightly affectionate or deprecating quality depending on context. The word has a mid-20th century New York flavor and appears in crime fiction, journalism, and urban writing of that era. While 'hack' is still occasionally used, both terms are dated in the era of rideshares, though they persist in nostalgic or period writing.

The hackie barely looked up from his newspaper as she climbed in and gave him the address.
Origin: From 'hack' (a hired horse or carriage, from 'hackney'), with the diminutive suffix '-ie.' 'Hackney' refers to the London borough historically associated with hired horses, and the word became generalized to any hired vehicle or its driver. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
For parents

"hackie" means: American informal slang for a taxicab driver, derived from 'hack' — an old term for a hired carriage or cab. 'Hackie' adds a diminutive, fam.... This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"hackie" means: American informal slang for a taxicab driver, derived from 'hack' — an old term for a hired carriage or cab. 'Hackie' adds a diminutive, fam.... Register: informal slang, fine in casual conversation, texting and social media but not in academic essays, business writing or formal speech. Note the regional or dialect label (American) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word

Cluster: mediocre
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#2·Apr 27, 2026

(US, informal) A taxicab driver.

For parents

Hackie means: A taxicab driver.. It is finance or tax vocabulary; usage is usually formal or news-related rather than peer slang. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

hackie means: A taxicab driver.. Register: formal or technical, finance/tax English. Standard in its technical domain but rare in everyday talk; gloss with a plain synonym when writing for a general audience. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.

Cluster: general
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For specific readers

"hackie" means: American informal slang for a taxicab driver, derived from 'hack' — an old term for a hired carriage or cab. 'Hackie' adds a diminutive, fam.... This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.

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