A hanger is a curved piece of wood, plastic, or metal designed to hold clothes in a closet. Hangers hook over a closet rod and help keep shirts, dresses, jackets, and pants organized and less wrinkled. A typical wire or plastic hanger has a hook at the top and slopes down on both sides to support the shoulders of a garment.

Before hangers became common in the early 1900s, people draped their clothes over hooks, pegs, or the backs of chairs. The modern hanger changed how people store clothing by making closets tidier and helping clothes keep their shape.

An aircraft hangar is a huge building where airplanes are stored and maintained, spelled with an “a-r” at the end instead of “e-r.”

People also use hanger in the phrase hanger-on to describe someone who hangs around a particular person or group, hoping to benefit from their success or fame.