Source etymology 1
Original entry ↗To perform bizarre and unpleasant feats as part of a carnival. · To enthusiastically engage in geek-like or nerdy interests. · To be nervous or hyperactive due to using crack cocaine. · To be under the influence of a mood-altering drug.
A carnival performer specializing in bizarre and unappetizing behavior. · A person who is intensely interested in a particular field or hobby and often having limited or nonstandard social skills. Often used with an attributive noun. · An expert in a technical field, particularly one having to do with computers. · The subculture of geeks; an esoteric subject of interest that is marginal to the social mainstream; the philosophy, events, and physical artifacts of geeks; geekness.
Started as carnival slang, likely from the British dialectal term geck (“a fool, dupe, simpleton”) (1510s), apparently from Dutch gek or Low German geck, from an imitative verb found in North Sea Germanic and Scandinavian meaning "to croak, cackle," and also "to mock, cheat" (Dutch gekken, German gecken, Danish gække, Norwegian gakke, Swedish gäcka). The root still survives in the Dutch adjective noun gek (“crazy" or "crazy person”). Compare gink and also Old Norse gikkr (“a pert, rude person; jester; fool”).
Relationships mentioned by the source
These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.
- Cognate mentiongikkrnon
This page abbreviates 1 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.
Inspect preserved source fields
Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.
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