geek

American  

[geek] / gik /

noun

geeks plural

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

Derived Forms

• geeky
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• geeks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of geek

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

Explanation

Geek is a slang term for someone who is really intelligent or knowledgeable, especially about a particular topic. If you're a Star Trek geek, you know absolutely everything about the famous television show and its spin-offs. Live long and prosper! Intelligence does more good than stupidity, so the negative way people sometimes use the term geek seems unfair. So if you're a geek when it comes to computers, chess, books, sports statistics, or just about anything — be proud! The Scottish root word geck translates as “fool,” and many famous geeks were called fools before their ideas changed the world. Remember, today’s geek is tomorrow’s billionaire.

Example Sentences

In previous years, when the economy got tougher, Best Buy could lean on its Geek Squad tech assistants to set itself apart from rivals.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 25, 2026

The 21-year-old is the star of teen drama Geek Girl, an adaptation of the book series of which she was a "huge fan" growing up.

From BBC • May 30, 2024

Earlier this month, Best Buy laid off a number of Geek Squad employees amid declining sales.

From Slate • Apr. 17, 2024

Seat Geek, another resale site, also offered tickets for under $100.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2024

Mike Brown was a warm, easygoing guy, not only the founder of the Geek Club, but one of the school’s football coaches.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

Related Words

• buffoon
• freak
• nerd
• weirdo