berk

See also: Berk and bərk

English

Etymology

The usage is dated to the 1930s. A shortened version of Berkeley Hunt, the hunt based at Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire. In Cockney rhyming slang, hunt is used as a rhyme for cunt, giving the word its original slang meaning.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /bɜː(ɹ)k/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)k
• Homophone: birk

In both Berkeley and Berkshire, berk is pronounced in RP like bark (IPA^(key): /bɑː(ɹ)k/). In other cases such as Cockney and American English pronunciaton, it rhymes with work.

Noun

berk ‎(plural berks)

1. (Britain, slang, pejorative) A fool, prat, twit.
2. (Britain, slang) An idiot, in an affectionate sense.
3. (Cockney rhyming slang, vulgar) Cunt.

Usage notes

It is not perceived to be excessively rude, perhaps because, whilst it is known for being a slang word, its origin in rhyming slang is not well known.

See also

• Belvoir (pronounced Beaver)

References

• Chambers Dictionary: Entry for berk
• Cassell's Dictionary of Slang. Jonathon Green. Pub. Cassel & Co. ISBN 0-304-35167-9

Anagrams

• kerb

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Albanian

Etymology 1

From berr (cf. derk from derr).

Noun

berk m

1. goat

Related terms

• berr

Etymology 2

From Proto-Albanian *bardz(i)ka, from *bardza > bardhë ‎(“white”). Similar sense development as in barmë.

Noun

berk m (indefinite plural berkë, definite singular berku, definite plural berkët)

1. bast

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Dutch

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɛrk

• audio

  (file)

Etymology

From Middle Dutch berke, from Old Dutch *berka, *birka, from Proto-Germanic *berkō (cf. variant *birkijǭ), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerHǵs. Compare Low German Bark, German Birke, West Frisian bjirk, English birch, Danish birk, Swedish björk.

Noun

berk m ‎(plural berken, diminutive berkje n)

1. birch

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Turkish

Etymology

From Old Turkic [script needed] ‎(bérk), from Proto-Turkic *berk ‎(“mighty”), possibly derived from Proto-Altaic *parki ‎(“mighty, brave”). Related to pek.

Adjective

berk

1. strong, hard, robust, violent
2. heroic
3. firm, solid

Synonyms

• sert, katı [1]
• sağlam [2]

References

• Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–), “berk”, in Nişanyan Sözlük
• Starostin, Sergei; Dybo, Anna; Mudrak, Oleg (2003) Etymological dictionary of the Altaic languages (Handbuch der Orientalistik; VIII.8), Leiden, New York, Köln: E.J. Brill: “*parki”