British slang for someone who takes risks or acts on the chance of success; a person who relies on luck rather than skill or planning.
From chance + -er (agent suffix); originally referred to someone who gambled or relied on luck; developed into slang meaning an opportunist or wheeler-dealer.
This British slang reveals something interesting: a 'chancer' is someone who lives by probability, but the word itself shows English speakers have long been fascinated by the tension between luck and hard work!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.