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Definition 2024


wanker

wanker

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈwæŋkə(ɹ)/
  • Rhymes: -æŋkə(ɹ)

Noun

wanker (plural wankers) (Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand)

  1. (vulgar) A person who wanks.
  2. (slang, pejorative, vulgar) An idiot, a stupid, annoying or ineffectual person.
  3. (slang, pejorative, vulgar) Someone who shows off too much, a poser or poseur; someone who is overly self-satisfied.
  4. (slang, humorous, vulgar) A very informal address used between friends.
Usage notes
  • Refers mainly to males. A study by several British broadcasting organizations found that "wanker" was the fourth most offensive word in the UK (after ****, ****, and ****).
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

UK 1890s. From stwanker, from stinker. Used at Felsted School, Essex.

Noun

wanker (plural wankers)

  1. (obsolete, Britain, public school slang) A salted, and lightly smoked herring or mackerel; a bloater.
    • 1892 October, The Felstedian, page 105:
      My name it is "wanker";¶ a leaner or lanker,¶ Salter or ranker¶, fish never swam.
    • 1897 June, The Felstedian, page 100:
      He sniffs. "'Eugh, wankers again."

References

  • Farmer, John Stephen (1900) The Public School Word-Book, London: Hirshfeld Brothers, page 217

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