TV remote control.
Zapper
Example Sentences
"That's a proper Zapper, that is."
"I've never seen such a Zapper in all my life."
Etymology & History
Informal British term for television remote control, formed from 'zap' (to strike or change channels quickly) + '-er' agent suffix. Emerged in the 1980s when remote controls became common household items. The verb 'zap' itself is American in origin (1940s, imitative of ray gun sounds in science fiction), but 'zapper' became particularly popular in British English.
Word Details
📍
Region
General British
📅
Era
1940s
✓
Language
Mild
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Formality
Informal
Categories:
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Anglotopia's Dictionary of British English 2nd Edition
British Slang from A to Zed
By Jonathan Thomas
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