dork Meaning & Definition
What Does Dork Mean?
Dork is used as a noun meaning an odd, socially awkward, unstylish person. It can also mean an annoyingly stupid or foolish person.
Dork at a Glance
| Part of speech | noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈdȯrk/ |
| Synonyms | jerk, bookworm and dink |
| Antonyms | goldbrick, goof-off and slacker |
| Plural | dorks |
| First known use | 1965 |
Dork Definition (Noun)
- an odd, socially awkward, unstylish person
I felt like a dork in that sweater. / As the years went by, Webb found other members of his own species—a dork here, a nerd there. / The kinds of kids regarded by peers as dorks, nerds and screw-ups have suffered years of rejection, based on appearances, quirks and familial conditioning. / Her younger brother … is a wispy little wimp with dorks for pals … and a big problem with the local bully.
- an annoyingly stupid or foolish person : jerk
… her dork of a do-nothing husband … / My fear of the menace represented by this young dork is offset only by the concern that if I confront him, he'll come over one night and smash our patio furniture.
Synonyms of Dork
Antonyms of Dork
Dork in a Sentence
I felt like a dork in that sweater.
As the years went by, Webb found other members of his own species—a dork here, a nerd there.
The kinds of kids regarded by peers as dorks, nerds and screw-ups have suffered years of rejection, based on appearances, quirks and familial conditioning.
Her younger brother … is a wispy little wimp with dorks for pals … and a big problem with the local bully.
… her dork of a do-nothing husband …
My fear of the menace represented by this young dork is offset only by the concern that if I confront him, he'll come over one night and smash our patio furniture.
we became friends when we discovered we were both dorks who had memorized the periodic table in high school
he tried to be suave, but she still thought he was a dork
I felt like a dork in that sweater. / As the years went by, Webb found other members of his own species—a dork here, a nerd there. / The kinds of kids regarded by peers as dorks, nerds and screw-ups have suffered years of rejection, based on appearances, quirks and familial conditioning. / Her younger brother … is a wispy little wimp with dorks for pals … and a big problem with the local bully.
… her dork of a do-nothing husband … / My fear of the menace represented by this young dork is offset only by the concern that if I confront him, he'll come over one night and smash our patio furniture.
Word Forms & Grammar
dorks
dork
dork (plural dorks)
dork (third-person singular simple present dorks, present participle dorking, simple past and past participle dorked)
Origin of Dork
Origin 1: perhaps alteration of dick
Origin 2: First use appears in the US c. 1961. The sense of a "silly person" is presumably from earlier use as a bowdlerization of dick (“penis”) in student slang, particularly the Midwest.[1][2][3][4] Despite a common misconception, it has never referred specifically to a whale's penis, but penises in general. Alternative etymology derives from dialectal Norwegian dorg (“a mass; heap; a heavy, dimwitted, slovenly person”).
Origin 3: Uncertain; apparently from Scots. See dirk.
First Known Use
1965
Questions People Ask About Dork
What part of speech is dork?
Dork is a noun.
What is another word for dork?
Close synonyms of dork are jerk, bookworm and dink. See the full list of dork synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of dork?
Words opposite in meaning to dork are goldbrick, goof-off, slacker and underachiever.
What is the plural of dork?
The plural of dork is dorks.