Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. an attractive woman; occas. man.

1873		W.H. Thomes Bushrangers 54: ‘But his girl is a good looker,’ muttered Doland. ‘I never saw a handsomer piece of calico in my life.’.
1893		S. Crane Maggie, a Girl of the Streets (2001) 18: Dat Johnson goil is a puty good looker.
1902		Ade Girl Proposition 32: All the swell Lookers are supposed to get out and chase the Woman-Hater.
1910		‘O. Henry’ ‘Past One at Rooney’s’ in Strictly Business (1915) 264: I think you’re the swellest looker I’ve had my lamps on in little old New York.
1911		S. Ford Torchy 52: If she’d been divided up right there’d been enough for a pair of as good lookers as you’d want to see.
1918		‘Max Brand’ ‘Above the Law’ in Coll. Stories (1994) 39: She’s a looker, boys – she’s a regular Cleopatra.
1927		(con. WW1) P. MacDonald Patrol 72: ‘She was a looker, too’.
1929		J. Lait Broadway Melody 24: You were a funny-lookin’ young goof then, all freckles, with skinny legs — but, gee, you’re a looker now.
1929		W. Winchell On Broadway 16 Sept. [synd. col.] The beautiful Justine Johnstone, who embellished the Ziegfield corps of good-lookers.
1931		D. Runyon ‘Dream Street Rose’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 49: My friend is [...] a first-class looker.
1939		P. Cheyney Don’t Get Me Wrong (1956) 30: He is a good looker an’ dames go for him plenty.
1949		F. Brown Dead Ringer 150: She was sure a looker in those days.
1957		H. Simmons Corner Boy 170: You growed up to be quite a looker, kid sister.
1958		Southern & Hoffenberg Candy (1970) 114: A pleasant middle-aged chap, certainly not the looker that Tom and Jack were, but perhaps more stable.
1961		R.S. Close With Hooves of Brass 21: It would be different with a flash looker like this waitress.
1965		R.L. Pike Mute Witness (1997) 66: Age twenty-nine, height five-six, blonde, violet eyes. A real looker.
1974		(con. 1960s) R. Price Wanderers 106: Eugen’s mother, although a looker, did not have the confidence and security that some beautiful women have.
1989		T. Blacker Fixx 54: [of a man] He was — in an utterly superficial way, of course — quite a looker.
1996		J. Byrell Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 225: [T]his particular filly certainly was a looker.
1998		I. Welsh Filth 215: She’s kicking oan now Maisie, but she’s still a looker.
1999		P. Temple Black Tide (2012) [ebook] Looker she was. My oath.
2002		J. Ridley Conversation with the Mann 83: Fran was nothing if she wasn’t a looker.
2010		K. Richards Life 42: Gus was a looker and he always had a gag; he could always laugh.
2010		(con. 1973) C. Stella Johnny Porno 25: Louis liked his ex-wife’s perky ass and that fact that she was still a looker.
2019		C. Hammer Silver [ebook] ‘That looker from down in the bush? Drop-dead gorgeous’.
2019		M. Herron Joe Country [ebook] The woman was a looker, sure.
2021		C. Hammer Opal Country 448: ‘Didn’t realise the thin blue line was blessed with such lookers’.
2022		J. Hannaham Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit 141: She scanned the crowd [...] checking out the men [...] It’s some lookers, but ain’t none of em my type.

2. in combs., that which looks in a certain way.

1899–1900		C.L. Cullen Tales of the Ex-Tanks 171: Finished last the last time out, and a bum looker, but —.
1902		C.L. Cullen More Ex-Tank Tales 38: He was a swell looker.

3. (US) in pl., the eyes.

1913		G.D. Chase ‘Lists From Maine’ in DN IV i 4: lookers, n. Eyes.
1929		E. Caldwell Bastard (1963) 70: You’re the swellest little kid these old lookers ever looked at.

4. a client who wishes only to look at a prostitute, who is usu. naked, and occas. fondle her breasts.

1974

in Oui mag.

5. a voyeur.

[1960		E. Hemingway Death in the Afternoon 41: To use glasses when standing on the sand of the ring is the mark of a voyeur, a looker in the worst sense; that is a looker rather than a do-er].
1969		D. Reuben Everything you always wanted to know about sex (2000) 204: Then isn’t everybody a voyeur? When it comes to sex, maybe everyone is a ‘looker’.
1994		R. Burckhardt Talking Pictures n.p.: And lately I’ve been hearing the word ‘voyeur.’ But what’s so wrong with being a voyeur? It means you’re a looker, and I do look a lot.