junkie
junkie Lexical Profile
junkie Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person with a compulsive habit or enthusiastic devotion to a particular activity, subject, or experience (usually used in combination).
"As a self-described political junkie, she watches every televised debate and reads three newspapers each morning."
A person who is addicted to narcotics, especially heroin (informal and derogatory).
"The documentary followed a former junkie who overcame his addiction and became a community counselor."
Word Nuance & Usage
In literal contexts referring to substance addiction, 'junkie' is strongly derogatory and stigmatizing, and clinical terms are preferred; however, in compound expressions like 'adrenaline junkie' or 'news junkie', it is used playfully to describe an avid enthusiast.
• Rhymes for junkie
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in early 20th-century American slang from 'junk' (a slang term for narcotic drugs, particularly heroin) and the diminutive suffix '-ie', purportedly because early addicts collected and sold scrap metal to fund their habit.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.