Skip to content

The word for today is…

nerd (noun):

1: a person devoted to intellectual, academic, or technical pursuits or interests, Also a person preoccupied with or devoted to a particular activity or field of interest

2: an unstylish or socially awkward person

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : 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. The usage of nerd is now often used in a neutral fashion to denote enthusiasm or expertise (theater nerd) or proudly as a self-identifying trait (word nerd). Geek became synonymous with nerd in the 1950s and has similarly seen increasing use with positive connotations, showing membership in a specialized group (film geek, beer geek) rather than social awkwardness. In its earliest meanings, geek 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.

If you enjoyed this Good Oil word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.

Latest