Wonk Definition
wŏngk
wonks
noun
A student who studies very hard; grind.
Webster's New World
One who studies an issue or topic thoroughly or excessively.
American Heritage
Any very studious or hardworking person, often, specif., one preoccupied with a particular subject or field.
Webster's New World
(by extension) A policy wonk or other intellectual expert.
Wiktionary
Other Word Forms of Wonk
Noun
Singular:
wonk
Plural:
wonksOrigin of Wonk
American English student slang 1954; perhaps navy slang before that. Expert sense popularized in the Clinton administration, 1993.
From Wiktionary
-
Origin uncertain, possibly from wonky (“shaky, unreliable") or wank, wanker , or simply expressive.
From Wiktionary
Origin unknown
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Find Similar Words
Find similar words to wonk using the buttons below.