nerdy

[ nur-dee ]

adjective

, nerd·i·er, nerd·i·est.

1. Slang. of or like a nerd.

Word History and Origins

Origin of nerdy¹

First recorded in 1975–80; nerd + -y ¹

Example Sentences

He’d grown up a nerdy Catholic Boy Scout in suburban Chicago, and had always been, as his sister Audrey Kalmus said, someone who “jumped into things he believed in with three feet.”

From ProPublica

Now a man for real, he could gift his nerdy sister a jacket we’d never afford otherwise, embrace danger by way of a transactional hug and floss and sway all the way to prison, where he’d end up in a matter of months.

From Time

Academic discourse like these form the seat of science, and may seem incredibly nerdy and outdated—especially because rather than online channels, the two sides resorted to a centuries-old pen-and-paper discussion.

From Singularity Hub 

Abovitz drew people in with a nerdy charm and naked ambition, said people who worked with him.

From Fortune

In some of my high school classes, it wasn’t cool to be nerdy.

From Science News For Students

Well, there are plenty of nerdy zingers hidden in those thousands of pages.

From The Daily Beast

A harmless woman is being harassed online by a nerdy subculture.

From The Daily Beast

So what happens to nerdy guys who keep finding out that the princess they were promised is always in another castle?

From The Daily Beast

She sees the error of her ways and plants a kiss on his nerdy, astronomy-obsessed brother, Neil (like Neil Armstrong, duh).

From The Daily Beast

Bobby Jindal is twice as nerdy as Ryan and 10 times less powerful.

From The Daily Beast

Related Words

• bookish
• contemplative
• diligent
• earnest
• industrious
• reflective
• thoughtful