hanger

A hanger is most often the simple frame, usually made of wire, plastic, or wood, that holds clothes in a closet. It helps shirts, jackets, and dresses keep their shape and stay neat. This is the meaning most people think of first when they hear the word.

The word can also mean a part that supports something by hanging it. In building, tools, lighting, or machines, a hanger may be a hook, rod, strap, or metal piece that holds something up from above. So the idea stays the same: it is something that lets another thing hang safely in place.

The word "hanger" most commonly means an object used to hold up clothes. A clothes hanger is the frame you put a shirt, coat, or dress on so it can hang neatly in a closet without getting badly creased. These can be made of wire, plastic, wood, or softer padded material, depending on what kind of clothing they are meant to hold. In everyday life, this is by far the most common use of the word.

The word is also used more broadly for a part that supports something from above. In this sense, a hanger may be a hook, bracket, rod, strap, or similar piece that keeps an object hanging in position. For example, a light fixture may be attached by a hanger, or a pipe may be held in place by metal hangers under a ceiling. In construction and engineering, the word can refer to parts that carry weight while keeping another part suspended.

At its heart, the meaning is very consistent. A hanger is something that holds another thing so it can hang. Sometimes it is a familiar object in your wardrobe, and sometimes it is a supporting part hidden in a ceiling, wall, or machine. In both cases, the idea is simple: it provides support from above and keeps things in place.