beatnik
Americannoun
-
(sometimes initial capital letter) a member of the Beat Generation.
-
a person who rejects or avoids conventional behavior, dress, etc.
noun
-
a member of the Beat Generation (sense 1)
-
informal any person with long hair and shabby clothes
Etymology
Origin of beatnik
1955–60, beat (adj.) (as in Beat Generation ) + -nik
Compare meaning
How does beatnik compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
In the 1950s and early 1960s, a young person who wore a black turtleneck and a beret while playing the bongos would probably be called a beatnik. Beatniks were a youthful subculture that was influenced by jazz music and Beat poets and writers, like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. This unconventional group rejected the status quo of "normal" society, preferring to express themselves artistically. A newspaper columnist coined the term beatnik in 1958, influenced by the Sputnik satellite that had been launched the year before.
Vocabulary lists containing beatnik
American History - Middle School
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
American History - High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Chapter 19, Sections 1–4 and Chapter 20, Sections 1–3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He’s put off by Ginsberg’s aggressiveness, though the aging beatnik softens somewhat when he realizes Hujar isn’t an emissary of the enemy so much as a photographer picking up work where he can get it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025
Finally, there is Georgia McCann, a self-styled Gen Z beatnik and events planner whose special talents include throwing parties for Anna Delvey and not washing her hands after she pees.
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2025
How could this crazy beatnik character be Disney?
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2024
That taste ran through the manic era the early ’60s were, a hinge moment between Cold War and Vietnam, Civil Rights and Black Power, repression and liberation; beatnik and hippie; Ab-Ex and Pop.
From New York Times ● Jul. 21, 2022
The only way she could’ve helped was if Valmiki liked beatnik poetry.
From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
