geek

Meaning

Noun

1. A carnival performer specializing in bizarre and unappetizing behavior.
2. (colloquial) A person who is intensely interested in a particular field or hobby and often having limited or nonstandard social skills. Often used with an attributive noun.
3. (colloquial) An expert in a technical field, particularly one having to do with computers.
4. (colloquial) The subculture of geeks; an esoteric subject of interest that is marginal to the social mainstream; the philosophy, events, and physical artifacts of geeks; geekness.
5. (colloquial) An unfashionable or socially undesirable person.

Verb

1. (colloquial) To enthusiastically engage in geek-like or nerdy interests.
2. (slang) To be nervous or hyperactive due to using crack cocaine.

Verb

To look; to peep; to stare about intently.

Synonyms

nerd

oddball

eccentric person

enthusiast

flake

freak

eccentric

dork

tekki

dweeb

loser

monster

male virgin

uncool man

lonely heart

buff

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɡiːk/

Etymology

Started as carnival slang, likely from the British dialectal term geck (“a fool, dupe, simpleton”) (1510s), apparently from Dutch gek or Low German geck, from an imitative verb found in North Sea Germanic and Scandinavian meaning "to croak, cackle," and also "to mock, cheat" (Dutch gekken, German gecken, Danish gække, Norwegian gakke, Swedish gäcka). The root still survives in the Dutch adjective noun gek (“crazy" or "crazy person”). Compare gink and also Old Norse gikkr (“a pert, rude person; jester; fool”).