boomer

American  

[boo-mer] / ˈbu mər /

noun

1. Informal. baby boomer.

2. a period of sudden and decisive economic growth.

   July was a boomer for the retail trade.

3. a person who settles in areas or towns that are undergoing a period of rapid economic or population growth.

   He was among the first boomers to settle in the town when it began to grow.

4. Informal. a person, fad, etc., that enjoys a brief popularity or financial success.

   This season's hit album turned the group into a boomer.

5. a person or thing that booms.

   These speakers are real boomers with an amazing balance of bass to treble.

6. an enthusiastic supporter; booster.

   The boomers tell us our town can double its size.

7. Australian. a fully grown male kangaroo, especially a large one.

8. Navy Slang. a submarine that can fire intercontinental ballistic missiles and especially those equipped with a nuclear warhead.

9. Informal: Older Use. a wandering or migratory worker; hobo.

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boomer British  

/ ˈbuːmə /

noun

1. a large male kangaroo

2. informal anything exceptionally large

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Etymology

Origin of boomer

First recorded in 1820–30; 1975–80 boomer for def. 1; boom ¹ + -er ¹

Explanation

A boomer is someone who was born during the two decades after World War II. Boomers are part of an unusually large generation. The term boomer is shorthand for baby boomer, the official name for a generation usually defined as spanning 1946 to 1964. These days, some younger people think of boomers as old and out of touch. Advertisers, however, are eager to win their attention because, on average, they have money to spend — and because there are so many of them. The "boom" part of the word comes from the sharp spike in U.S. birth rates after World War II ended.

Example Sentences

As the last of the baby boomer generation edge into retirement there are not enough young Germans to replace them, due to a low birth rate.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

When Bessner asked others on X what they made of the writing style, some chalked it up to Epstein being a baby boomer who may have learned how to message on BlackBerry’s error-prone keyboard.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

Pew Research Center found that the top 10% of boomer households owned 71% of the generation’s overall wealth.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 27, 2026

Harley retail sales have fallen 5% annually, as the baby boomer buyers of its expensive bikes age.

From Barron's • Oct. 27, 2025

I am reminded of Mrs. Medina’s words about how the silent and boomer generations are old now and it is important to record their stories before it’s too late.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh