berk
English
Etymology
The usage dates from the 1930s; berk is a shortened version of Berkeley Hunt, the hunt based at Berkeley Castle, in Gloucestershire. In Cockney rhyming slang, hunt is a rhyme for cunt, giving the word its original slang meaning.
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /bɜː(ɹ)k/
Audio (AU): (file) - Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)k
- Homophone: birk
Noun
berk (plural berks)
- (British, slang, derogatory, sometimes endearing) A fool, prat, twit.
- (Cockney rhyming slang, vulgar) Cunt.
Usage notes
Not perceived as excessively rude, perhaps because its origin in rhyming slang is not well known.
See also
- Belvoir (pronounced Beaver)
References
- Chambers Dictionary: Entry for berk
- Cassell's Dictionary of Slang. Jonathon Green. Pub. Cassel & Co. →ISBN
Anagrams
Albanian
Etymology 1
From berr (cf. derk from derr).
Noun
berk m
Related terms
Etymology 2
From Proto-Albanian *bardz(i)ka, from *bardza > bardhë (“white”). Similar sense development as in barmë.[1]
Noun
berk m (plural berqe, definite berku, definite plural berqet)
References
- ^ Orel, Vladimir E. (1998) “berk”, in Albanian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden, Boston, Köln: Brill, →ISBN, page 21
Dutch
Etymology
From Middle Dutch berke, from Old Dutch *berka, from Proto-Germanic *berkō, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerHǵós.
Pronunciation
Noun
berk m (plural berken, diminutive berkje n)
- birch, tree of the genus Betula
- Synonym: berkenboom
Derived terms
Descendants
- Afrikaans: berk
French
Pronunciation
Interjection
berk
Turkish
Etymology
From Old Turkic [script needed] (bérk), from Proto-Turkic *berk (“mighty”). Related to pek.
Adjective
berk
Synonyms
References
- Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–) “berk”, in Nişanyan Sözlük
- Starostin, Sergei, Dybo, Anna, Mudrak, Oleg (2003) Etymological dictionary of the Altaic languages (Handbuch der Orientalistik; VIII.8), Leiden, New York, Köln: E.J. Brill: “*parki”
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