Whitaker

American  

[hwit-uh-ker, wit-] / ˈʰwɪt ə kər, ˈwɪt- /

noun

1. a male given name.

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Whitaker British  

/ ˈwɪtəkə /

noun

1. Sir Frederick. 1812–91, New Zealand statesman, born in England: prime minister of New Zealand (1863–64; 1882–83)

2. Forrest (Steven) , born 1961, US actor and film director; his films include (as actor) Ghost Dog (1999) and The Last King of Scotland (2006); (as director) Waiting to Exhale (1995)

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Example Sentences

Howell plays fourth-year medical student Dennis Whitaker in the popular HBO drama, which follows the daily lives of healthcare professionals in a Pittsburgh hospital.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

Progressive Christian voices, including influencer and commentator Tim Whitaker, described the comparison as “blasphemous,” reflecting a broader concern that religious language is being used in ways that distort core theological meaning.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

At age 39, Jordan joins a small circle of Black actors who have won the prestigious best actor Oscar, after Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker and Will Smith.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

“Rodney Whitaker was like Le Carré,” Mr. Winslow told this newspaper back then, “but more tongue-in-cheek.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

But the most important thing about Mr. Whitaker is that he was always in the street trying to bust up gangs and keep police from doing crazy stuff around here.

From "The Boy in the Black Suit" by Jason Reynolds