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Added 7 October 2026

dork

/dɔːk/ noun

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about dork at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A quirky, silly or stupid, socially inept person, or one who is out of touch with contemporary trends and typically has unfashionable hobbies. (Overlaps conceptually with nerd and geek, but does not imply the same level of intelligence.) .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
The penis.

verb

To act or behave in the manner of a dork.
To act or behave in an awkward or clumsy manner.

noun

Alternative form of dirk (“a long dagger”).

Origin

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. 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”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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