hooky

• Homophones: hookey, hookie

Attested in 1848 in New York City. Most likely from Dutch hoekje ("nook, corner; but also 'spot to hide' in hide-and-go-seek"). Formerly, "hoekje spelen" could be used to mean "to play hide-and-go-seek", though the common term for the game nowadays is verstoppertje.

hooky (uncountable)

1. Absence from school or work. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

   Let's play hooky and go to the mall.

• play hooky

From hook +‎ -y

hooky (comparative hookier, superlative hookiest)

1. Full of hooks.
2. Shaped like a hook.

• hokyo