Main Entry: hack·er Pronunciation: \ˈha-kər\ Function: noun Date: 14th century

1 : one that hacks 2 : a person who is inexperienced or unskilled at a particular activity <a tennis hacker> 3 : an expert at programming and solving problems with a computer 4 : a person who illegally gains access to and sometimes tampers with information in a computer system

Three out of four possible Merriam-Webster definitions are negative.