Noun

1. A brand of sport utility vehicles sold by General Motors, and by extension, any large similar vehicle.
2. The HMMWV or Humvee, a US Army vehicle which replaced the Jeep.
   • 1985, Andy Rooney, Pieces of my Mind http://books.google.com/books?id=Y_rPtSgzaZwC, ISBN 0380698854, page 38:

   "The vehicle is called the 'Hummer,' a contrived abbreviation of its official designation, 'High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle.'"

   • 1985, James Coates and Michael Kilian, Heavy Losses: The Dangerous Decline of American Defense http://books.google.com/books?id=Hr0dAAAAMAAJ, ISBN 0670804843, page 25:

   "The Hummer, a clumsy, elongated vehicle the Army intended as a replacement for the hardy Jeep, developed so many problems it became known as the Bummer."

   • 1987, Michael Barone & Grant Ujifusa, The Almanac of American Politics, 1988 http://books.google.com/books?id=E4MYAAAAIAAJ, ISBN 0892340371, page 403:

   "He made a point of not taking federal money for the district -- though by 1986 he was bragging about landing an Army contract to build the Hummer vehicle for a South Bend company."

   • 1994, World Book Inc., "Jeep" in World Book Encyclopedia vol. J http://books.google.com/books?id=m_MvAAAAMAAJ, ISBN 0716600943, page 25:

   "A Hummer can carry four people."

3. • 1868, Titus Fey Cronise, The Natural Wealth of California http://books.google.com/books?id=6AMNAAAAIAAJ, page 458:

   "The Purple-Throated Hummer is green, with the throat a brilliant violet-purple."

Usage notes