dork
Slang. a silly, out-of-touch person who tends to look odd or behave ridiculously around others; a social misfit: If you make me wear that, I’ll look like a total dork!
Slang: Vulgar. penis.
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Origin of dork
1word story For dork
By the late 60s, American college students had extended the meaning of dork to refer to a socially awkward person. While at first this sense of dork carried pejorative connotations, the term has since been “taken back” by the people it once so cruelly described, and now can even be given as a compliment. If a girl calls a guy “adorkable” (the combination of “dork” and “adorable”), she means to say he is cute in a socially awkward, yet endearing way.
Geeks and nerds, while still dorky, are generally considered more intelligent than dorks. Next time you call someone a dork think about its short history in the English language, and reflect upon what a word nerd you are.
popular references For dork
— King Dork: A coming-of-age novel by Frank Portman, first published in 2006.
—Son of Dork: A pop punk band from the U.K.
— Dork Tower: An online comic by John Kovalic.
Other words for dork
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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use dork in a sentence
These prints highlight that beauty while also allowing you to express your inner dork.
Science-themed decor to beautify any nerdy home | Sara Chodosh | November 23, 2021 | Popular-ScienceThe 7-foot, bat-catching, pants-losing dork ranks among the league leaders in followers on all platforms while performing in an average-to-small media market.
For Aspiring Performers, The NBA Is The Best Place To Be A Mascot | Josh Planos | July 17, 2020 | FiveThirtyEightAs with any new device, fears came up about privacy, security, the fear of looking like a dork, and piracy.
Google Glass Is Helping Doctors Save Lives. Maybe It’s Time to Reconsider the Poorly Received Technology. | Valerie Vande Panne | March 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAnd so on down the line it would go, until at last, lowliest of the low, would be Doug, the Chagrin High dork.
Doug Kenney: The Odd Comic Genius Behind ‘Animal House’ and National Lampoon | Robert Sam Anson | March 1, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut the number of folks who dork out over the latest cool gizmos is actually a relatively small slice of the human population.
But if I tell, I risk seeming like a huge dork... What do you think is the proper etiquette?
Garance Doré Signs Book Deal; Lena Dunham Wrote to Sex Columnist About Being a Virgin at Age 19 | The Fashion Beast Team | August 22, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST“Neither do they, dork,” Hilda said, giving him an elbow in the ribs.
Makers | Cory DoctorowThe earlier forms were dork and durk, and the spelling dirk, adopted by Johnson, represents the pronunciation of the second form.
I haven't made many protestations, but I tell you, dork, I'm coming out on top of this heap!
In the Onyx Lobby | Carolyn WellsIn one of the waistcoat pockets Mr. dork found the dead man's silver watch, with a blood-stained ribbon and a worthless gilt seal.
Aurora Floyd, Vol. II (of 3) | M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) BraddonMr. dork looked about him in the moonlight, entirely bewildered by the disappearance of Samuel Prodder.
Aurora Floyd, Vol. II (of 3) | M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon
British Dictionary definitions for dork
/ (dɔːk) /
a stupid or incompetent person
US a penis
Origin of dork
1Derived forms of dork
- dorky, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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