punk
punk Lexical Profile
punk Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A loud, fast-moving, and aggressive form of rock music that emerged in the mid-1970s, characterized by anti-establishment lyrics and a raw, stripped-down style, or the youth subculture associated with it.
"The band's early albums were heavily influenced by 1970s British punk."
An admirer or participant in the punk rock subculture, typically characterized by unconventional clothing, brightly dyed hair, and anti-authoritarian attitudes.
"Young punks with spiked hair gathered outside the underground music venue."
North American A young hoodlum, petty criminal, or arrogant, inexperienced person (informal).
"The shopkeeper chased away the neighborhood punks who were vandalizing the wall."
North American Soft, decayed wood formerly used as tinder, or a stick of slow-burning material used to light fireworks.
"He used a smoldering stick of punk to light the sparklers on the Fourth of July."
• adjective
Relating to punk rock or its associated rebellious subculture, fashion, and anti-establishment aesthetic.
"She wore a vintage leather jacket covered in punk patches and safety pins."
North American In poor or wretched condition; worthless, inferior, or feeling unwell (informal).
"He stayed home from work because he had been feeling pretty punk all morning."
• verb
North American To trick, fool, or humiliate someone, especially by playing an elaborate practical joke on them (slang).
"He realized he had been punked when his coworkers burst out laughing."
• Rhymes for punk
Word Origin & Etymology
Attested since the late 16th century (originally referring to a prostitute or decayed wood used as tinder), possibly related to obsolete 'spunk' (tinder or fungus). The modern sense of a young hoodlum emerged in early 20th-century American slang and was adopted in the 1970s to name the rebellious rock subculture.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.