geek

noun

\ ˈgēk

Definition of geek

1 : a person often of an intellectual bent who is disliked

2 : an enthusiast or expert especially in a technological field or activity computer geek

3 : a carnival performer often billed as a wild man whose act usually includes biting the head off a live chicken or snake

Other Words from geek Synonyms Of Nerds, Geeks, and Dorks More Example Sentences Learn More about geek

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Synonyms for geek

Synonyms

bookworm, dink [slang], dork [slang], grind, nerd, swot [British], weenie, wonk

Of Nerds, Geeks, and Dorks

Dork, when used to refer to a socially awkward or inept person, is a relatively recent word: our records indicate that it first appeared in writing in the 1960s. Two of its synonyms in this sense are likewise of fairly recent vintage. Nerd (typically used of a studious species of dork) dates from the 1950s; it was coined by Dr. Seuss in his 1950 book If I Ran the Zoo, although not in the sense that we use today. Geek became synonymous with nerd in the 1950s. Prior to this, the word referred to, among other things, a carnival performer who would bite the head off a live chicken, or other small animal, as part of an act.

Examples of geek in a Sentence

He was a real geek in high school. was quickly stereotyped as another computer geek

Recent Examples on the Web

The new feature will allow some users to see podcast episode suggestions based on genres that include comedy, true crime, geek culture, walking (motivational), and relaxing, according to The Verge which cited sources close to Spotify. — Dalvin Brown, USA TODAY, "Looking for new podcasts? Spotify is testing out a new feature that can help," 4 June 2019 Russian trolls destroy the democratic system with fake news on Facebook; hate speech flourishes on Twitter and Reddit; the vast fortunes of the geek elite worsen income equality. — Steven Johnson, New York Times, "Beyond the Bitcoin Bubble," 16 Jan. 2018 The in-flight moving map, object of fascination for travel geeks and impatient fliers, is going in a new direction. — Scott Mccartney, WSJ, "Big News for People Who Spend Hours Staring at Maps on Planes," 17 Apr. 2019 Amazon is discounting tons of gadgets, charging accessories, networking tools, and telescopes, so there's a gift for the dedicated gadget geek to the endless stargazer. — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, "Tech and Telescopes Are Going for Cheap on Amazon Today," 10 Dec. 2018 This year's swag pile is full of high-value geek goodies. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, "Enter for a chance to win consoles, smartwatches, and more in the 2018 Ars Charity Drive," 19 Dec. 2018 This might sound like so much jargon important only to bond market geeks. — Matt Phillips, The Seattle Times, "Stocks slide as bond market sounds a recession warning," 4 Dec. 2018 Record store geeks shouldn’t miss Grimey’s New & Preloved Music, where artists often play release shows in the stacks (615-254-4801, grimeys.com). — Sarah Rodman, BostonGlobe.com, "The music lover’s ultimate guide to visiting Nashville," 15 Mar. 2018 Image The geek in me loves the tsunami of fine details flooding the page, written in the breezy style of a rising star millennial scientist. — Ira Flatow, New York Times, "When the Dinosaurs Reigned," 29 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'geek.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.