Etymology By surface analysis, muck + -er. Compare Swedish mokare/mockare (“one who cleans dung”, agent noun) → rörmokare/rörmockare (“plumber”, literally “pipe mucker”). Compare the military sense to Finnish mokkeri (“private”, colloquial), to Swedish mocka (“to clean muck”); and Swedish mecka/meka (“to repair or improve (mechanical) equipment”), to meckaniker (“mechanic”); also Swedish mucka (“to complete military service”), from Tavringer Romani mucka (“to be released”). The military sense might also derive from a slur, a common practice in military lingo.
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A person who removes muck (waste, debris, broken rock, etc.), especially from a mine, construction site, or stable.
Etymology By surface analysis, muck + -er. Compare Swedish mokare/mockare (“one who cleans dung”, agent noun) → rörmokare/rörmockare (“plumber”, literally “pipe mucker”). Compare the military sense to Finnish mokkeri (“private”, colloquial), to Swedish mocka (“to clean muck”); and Swedish mecka/meka (“to repair or improve (mechanical) equipment”), to meckaniker (“mechanic”); also Swedish mucka (“to complete military service”), from Tavringer Romani mucka (“to be released”). The military sense might also derive from a slur, a common practice in military lingo.
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Obsolete To scrape together (money, etc.) by mean labour or shifts.
In tyme of plentie the riche too vpp mucker Corne, Grayne, or Chafre hopinge vppon dearthe.1548, William Forrest, Pleasaunt Poesye of Princelie Practise:
Mucker
noun
Etymology From German Mucker (“grumbler”).
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Lifestyle, ReligionHistorical A follower of the religious teachings of Johann Heinrich Schönherr (1770–1826) and Johann Wilhelm Ebel (1784–1861).