geek

American  

[geek] / gik /

noun

1. a digital-technology expert or enthusiast (a term of pride as self-reference, but often used disparagingly by others).

2. a person who has excessive enthusiasm for and some expertise about a specialized subject or activity.

   a foreign-film geek.

3. a peculiar person, especially one who is perceived to be overly intellectual, unfashionable, or socially awkward.

4. a carnival performer who performs sensationally morbid or disgusting acts, as biting off the head of a live chicken.

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verb (used without object)

1. to be overexcited about a specialized subject or activity, or to talk about it with excessive enthusiasm (usually followed byout ).

   I could geek out about sci-fi for hours.

geek British  

/ ɡiːk /

noun

1. a person who is preoccupied with or very knowledgeable about computing

2. a boring and unattractive social misfit

3. a degenerate

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Usage

What is a geek? A geek is a person who is an expert or fan of technology and computers, as in He gave the assignment to the geeks in the IT department. Geek is also used more generally to refer to someone who is especially passionate or knowledgeable about something, as in Shawna is the biggest Star Trek geek I know, going to all the conventions. A geek is also someone who is judged to be too intelligent and socially awkward or just quirky or odd, especially in high school groups, as in At my high school, the geeks got along with the goths but hated the jocks. In the past, the word geek was used to refer specifically to a carnival performer who performed disgusting acts. Today, this usage is incredibly rare, and you can use geek as an insult or endearment, especially when describing yourself.Geek can be used as a verb to mean to express intense enthusiasm about something or to discuss it passionately, as in My friends were all geeking out about the new Spider-Man movie. Example: My dad has always been a baseball geek, telling me all of the stats and who the upcoming stars will be.

Other Word Forms

• geeky adjective

Etymology

Origin of geek

First recorded in 1915–20; probably variant of geck (mainly Scots ) “fool,” from Dutch or Low German gek

Example Sentences

Concerns about risks that were once confined to debates among geeks have gone mainstream and increasingly bipartisan, fueled by fears about what AI is going to do to the job market.

From The Wall Street Journal

"My kids call me a neek," she joked, "it's a cross between a geek and a nerd".

From BBC

The annual event sees tech geeks test gear, including drones, atomic clocks antennas and chips, against jamming in the harsh Arctic climate.

From The Wall Street Journal

When I first started playing “Dungeons & Dragons” as a tween, my friends christened me with a new good-natured nickname: gamer geek.

From Los Angeles Times

Mr Male explained there was a strong community of "excel geeks" across the world, but said they were "ready to find talent in the west".

From BBC

Related Words

• buffoon
• freak
• nerd
• weirdo