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Tinker vs Kinker - What's the difference?

tinker | kinker |

As nouns the difference between tinker and kinker

is that tinker is an itinerant tinsmith and mender of household utensils made of tin while kinker is a performer in a circus.

As a verb tinker

is to fiddle with something in an attempt to fix, mend or improve it, especially in an experimental or unskilled manner.

As a proper noun Tinker

is {{surname|northern English|from=occupations}} for someone who mends pots and pans.

tinker

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • an itinerant tinsmith and mender of household utensils made of tin
  • (dated, chiefly, British, and, Irish, offensive) A member of the travelling community. A gypsy.
  • A mischievous person, especially a playful, impish youngster.
  • Someone who repairs, or attempts repair on anything mechanical (tinkers) or invents.
  • The act of repair or invention.
  • (military, obsolete) A small mortar on the end of a staff.
  • Any of various fish: the chub mackerel, the silverside, the skate, or a young mackerel about two years old.
  • A bird, the razor-billed auk.
    • (Webster 1913)

    Synonyms

    * (mischievous person) rapscallion, rascal, rogue, scamp, scoundrel * (member of the travelling community) traveller

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To fiddle with something in an attempt to fix, mend or improve it, especially in an experimental or unskilled manner.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-01
    • , author=Robert M. Pringle , title=How to Be Manipulative , volume=100, issue=1, page=31 , magazine= citation , passage=As in much of biology, the most satisfying truths in ecology derive from manipulative experimentation. Tinker with nature and quantify how it responds.}}
  • To work as a tinker.

    • See also

    * * tinker's damn

    Anagrams

    *

    kinker

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A performer in a circus.
  • * 2006 , Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants , Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, pages 36-37:
    • "So, what's the vernacular then?" I say finally. ¶ "They're called kinkers," says Camel..."don't you go calling them 'kinkers' to their faces, neither." ¶ "What do I call them?" ¶ "Performers...There's them and there's us, and you're us," says Camel.

    Synonyms

    * performer