punk

¹

[puhngk]

noun

1. Slang.

   1. something or someone worthless or unimportant.

   2. a young ruffian; hoodlum.

   3. an inexperienced youth.

   4. a young male partner of a gay man.

   5. an apprentice, especially in the building trades.

   6. Prison Slang.,  a passive or submissive male inmate, especially one who is used for sex by another male inmate.

2. punk rock.

3. a style or movement characterized by the adoption of aggressively unconventional and often bizarre or shocking clothing, hairstyles, makeup, etc., and the defiance of social norms of behavior, usually associated with punk rock musicians and fans.

4. a punker.

5. Archaic.,  a prostitute.

adjective

1. Informal.,  poor in quality or condition.

2. of, relating to, or characteristic of punk rock.

   a punk band.

3. pertaining to, characteristic of, or adopting punk styles.

   punk youths; punk hairstyles in various colors.

punk

²

[puhngk]

noun

1. any prepared substance, usually in stick form, that will smolder and can be used to light fireworks, fuses, etc.

2. dry, decayed wood that can be used as tinder.

3. conk.

4. a spongy substance derived from fungi; amadou; touchwood.

-punk

³

1. a combining form extracted from cyberpunk used to denote a rebellious, alternative genre or aesthetic in speculative fiction, art, fashion, etc., and added to a word that names its distinctive theme, often a form of technology.

punk

¹

/ pʌŋk /

noun

1. 1. a youth movement of the late 1970s, characterized by anti-Establishment slogans and outrageous clothes and hairstyles

   2. an adherent of punk

   3. short for punk rock

   4. ( as modifier )

      a punk record

2. an inferior, rotten, or worthless person or thing

3. worthless articles collectively

4. a petty criminal or hoodlum

5. obsolete,  a young male homosexual; catamite

6. obsolete,  a prostitute

adjective

1. inferior, rotten, or worthless

punk

²

/ pʌŋk /

noun

1. dried decayed wood that smoulders when ignited: used as tinder

2. any of various other substances that smoulder when ignited, esp one used to light fireworks

punk

1. A type of rock 'n' roll with loud, energetic music and often harsh lyrics criticizing traditional society and culture. It was named after the punks, an anarchistic youth movement that surfaced in Great Britain in the 1970s.

Other Word Forms

• punkish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of punk¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; of obscure origin; the sense development is apparently “prostitute,” from “catamite,” from “hoodlum”; the adjective “poor in quality” (1896) is unclearly derived and perhaps a distinct word

Origin of punk²

An Americanism dating back to 1680–90; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of punk¹

C16: via Polari from Spanish pu ( n ) ta prostitute, pu ( n ) to male prostitute

Origin of punk²

C18: of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

The town known simply as Giles backed Milei for president in October 2023, when the 54-year-old economist and punk rocker swept to power as an outsider with a radical plan to fix Argentina's broken economy.

Read more on Barron's

They’re categorized too neatly as a punk band from Whittier, but they’re actually a movement: Southern California’s most raucous self-help program and hardcore band.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

They are also the driving force behind the Punk Rock Fight Club, a Southern California-based organization dedicated to improving young men’s lives through fitness and structure.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Punk has always promised salvation by noise.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

I first ran into the KnuckleHeadz and a few club members by accident three years ago in a London train station en route to the Rebellion Punk Rock Music Festival in Blackpool, a yearly event featuring more than 300 veteran and emerging bands.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bully 
• thug