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 ³( def ).
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: steampunk solarpunk hopepunk

punk

¹

/ 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

²

/ 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

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.

Derived Forms

• ˈpunkish, 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

C18: of uncertain origin

Origin of punk²

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

Example Sentences

He has been a regular at the World Economic Forum in Davos and the Fortune Global Forum, appeared at Alibaba events dressed as a punk rocker and Michael Jackson, and even performed in a martial arts movie.

From Fortune

I then recorded a punk version using Bruce Smith on drums and I got him to play drums on this really rough and tumble version.

From Essence.com

We were skateboarders and listened to punk, but he hardly ever owned a skateboard or showed interest in bands.

From Ozy

Their songs include jazz, funk, punk, hip-hop stylings and the brilliant musicianship of some of the best late-1970s punk and art rock.

From Ozy

It’s called Reasons to Be Cheerful, which comes from a song that came out during the punk era.

From Freakonomics

He plays an aging punk rocker and I play the drummer from his old band.

From The Daily Beast

The best, or at least most successful, are bridging the gap between punk-rock DIY ethos and social-media savvy.

From The Daily Beast

Legs McNeil, of Punk magazine fame, once called him “cute” and “charming.”

From The Daily Beast

Her new memoir looks back at her life lived by the principles of punk.

From The Daily Beast

And then, at the close of our conversation, her punk roots reared their head like they had never disappeared.

From The Daily Beast

You c'llect all the old punk that the cons dump out with their dinner pans.

From Project Gutenberg

He took a piece of punk from a waterproof box that he carried in his pocket and focussed the sun's rays on it.

From Project Gutenberg

Then up comes a sudden wind and some of the red cinders are blown into the dead leaves or punk grass.

From Project Gutenberg

Five of them there wasfive lives, and all for one pine tree that turned out punk when it was cut.

From Project Gutenberg

Punk moved in and warmed his feet, smiling darkly at the other's volubility which he only half understood, but saying nothing.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bully
• thug