wonk

[wongk]

noun

Slang.

1. a student who spends much time studying and has little or no social life; grind.

2. a stupid, boring, or unattractive person.

3. a person who studies a subject or issue in an excessively assiduous and thorough manner.

   They’re searching for a policy wonk to lead the economic institute’s think tank.

wonk

/ wɒŋk /

noun

1. informal,  a person who is obsessively interested in a specified subject

   a foreign policy wonk

Other Word Forms

• wonkish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wonk¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1960–65; of expressive origin; nautical slang wonk “a midshipman,” and Australian slang “white person; gay man” are probably independent formations

Word History and Origins

Origin of wonk¹

C20: of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

Eccles is almost entirely unknown to the public, but he’s revered among economic policy wonks — which explains why his name is on the Fed headquarters building.

From Los Angeles Times

A single, unified application for every one of California’s public affordable housing funding programs has been the bureaucratic holy grail of California affordable developers and policy wonks since at least the mid-1990s.

From Los Angeles Times

The case is yet another example of Carr’s dramatic transformation from a low-key communications policy wonk into one of Trump’s staunchest cultural warriors.

From Los Angeles Times

Facts are great when you’re a lawyer in court or when you’re a wonk writing policy briefs and refining legislative language.

From Salon

Are they academics, scholars and scientists, or do they also include those of less elevated standing — technocrats, policy wonks, apparatchiks, pundits, journalists — who command a sizable public audience?

From Salon

Related Words

• geek 
• nerd