nerd

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Alternative spellings 1.2 Etymology 1.3 Pronunciation 1.4 Noun 1.4.1 Synonyms 1.4.2 Derived terms 1.4.3 See also 1.4.4 Translations 1.5 References 2 Dutch 2.1 Etymology 2.2 Pronunciation 2.3 Noun 3 Norwegian 3.1 Noun

English

Alternative spellings

• nurd very rare

Etymology

Unknown

• 1951, U.S. student slang, probably an alteration of nerts (“‘nuts", "crazy’”). See references below.
• The same word capitalized with appeared in 1950 in Dr. Seuss’s If I Ran the Zoo as the name of an imaginary animal:

  And then, just to show them, I’ll sail to Katroo / And bring back an It-Kutch, a Preep and a Proo, / A Nerkle, a Nerd and a Seersucker too!

• Various unlikely folk etymologies and less likely backronym speculations also exist.

Pronunciation

• (RP) enPR: nûd, IPA: /nɜːd/, SAMPA: /n3:d/
• (US) enPR: nûrd, IPA: /nɝːd/, SAMPA: /n3:rd/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)d

Noun

nerd (plural nerds)

1. (slang, derogatory) A person who, although having good technical or scientific skills, is introspective and generally introverted.
   • 2002, Sam Williams, Free as in Freedom:

     "We were all geeks and nerds, but he was unusually poorly adjusted," recalls Chess, now a mathematics professor at Hunter College.

   • 2009 Feb 28, “Orszag to present budget blueprint”, WBBH:

     "Yes, I am super nerd, and the whole room cracked up," Said Orszag.

Synonyms

• (socially unaccepted person, all are slang and derogatory): dag (Australian), doofus, dork, dweeb, geek, loser, twerp
• See also Wikisaurus:dork

Derived terms

See also

• Nerd on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Nerd on Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia Commons

Translations

References

• Online Etymology Dictionary
• Jargon file

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Dutch

Etymology

From English.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /nøːrt/

Noun

nerd m. (plural nerds, diminutive nerdje)

1. a nerd

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Norwegian

Noun

nerd m. (definite singular nerden; indefinite plural nerder; definite plural nerdene)

1. a nerd