What is Geek: Definition and 23 Discussions

The word geek is a slang term originally used to describe eccentric or non-mainstream people; in current use, the word typically connotes an expert or enthusiast obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit. In the past, it had a generally pejorative meaning of a "peculiar person, especially one who is perceived to be overly intellectual, unfashionable, boring, or socially awkward". In the 21st century, it was reclaimed and used by many people, especially members of some fandom, as a positive term.Some use the term self-referentially without malice or as a source of pride, often referring simply to "someone who is interested in a subject (usually intellectual or complex) for its own sake".
The term geek is often used interchangeably with the term nerd.

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  1. C

    Does the stereotypical nerd or geek really exists?

    Do the stereotypical nerds and geeks really exist? I am talking about socially awkward timid loners who are also highly intelligent in Science, Mathematics, Technology, and Engineering. What happens to them later in real life? Do they really end up as unemployed or menial workers because of...
  2. 1

    Hello ,i always have some question. may be you will like .

    i always start with 'may i ask a question,...'
  3. Dr. Courtney

    Insights Trials and Tribulations of a Physicist who Became a Math Geek - Comments

    Dr. Courtney submitted a new PF Insights post Trials and Tribulations of a Physicist who Became a Math Geek Continue reading the Original PF Insights Post.
  4. RedRum69

    Who is Ayran Thane Olckers: A Journey to Becoming an Astrophysicist

    Greetings. It's my pleasure to introduce my self..well, I'm Ayran Thane Olckers born and raised in South Africa, Currently living in the UK. I am not new per say, however I never introduced myself on the forums. I am currently studying a BSc Natural Sciences at Open University, pursuing my...
  5. N

    Schools Ways for a high school student to geek out at home?

    Hey, weird post but I am interested in science and building things and I wanted to ask any good ways to learn and have fun at home with science (preferably physics) and also some ideas of stuff I can use physics knowledge to build. THANKS!
  6. ZapperZ

    Does This Shirt Make Me Look Like A Geek?

    I've seen various shirts with physics and math written all over them. The most common one is the shirt with all the Maxwell equations written and "... and there was light". I never had the desire to own such shirts before... till now. During my trip to the Kennedy Space Center this past...
  7. Y

    14 year old geek wants to learn physics

    I am very interested in physics. I have been trying to learn physics but I cannot find anything good and free to learn. It doesn't have to cover modern physics but nice if it did. I have no problem with maths, apart from calculus but i would like to learn.
  8. Ivan Seeking

    Are Nerds Marked? A Parking Lot Encounter

    Apparently we nerds are marked. This weekend I made a run over to a business located on the coast to help a new customer that needed a quick fix. I had never done business with this company before so I wasn't quite sure where I was going or where to find my contact. I pulled into a large parking...
  9. N

    Schools Senior in high school and science geek who isn't a math whiz College advice?

    I'm warning you, this might be a long read. I'm a senior in high school, and I've had a history of occasionally being subpar in math, but I've always been a bit of a scientific thinker and am fascinated by space. The majors I'm primarily interested in fall into Biology, Physics...
  10. FtlIsAwesome

    Defining Nerd, Dork, or Geek: Criteria for Identification

    I would like for you to suggest possible criteria for determining if someone is a nerd, dork, or geek. Those can be three different things. Here are some thoughts I had a few days ago: "I decide to go on Physics Forums instead of playing Halo. That proves I'm a nerd." (Halo's awesome by the...
  11. I

    Rachel Maddow's Moment of Geek: Metrology

    I think I love this woman. :) She wishes us a happy Metrology day! http://www.worldmetrologyday.org/ She had a guest as well, and let him actually SPEAK.
  12. O

    PF Members in/around Portland - Ready to Geek Out & Hang Out?

    Its been a while since I've been on here. I moved to the Portland area, and was wondering if there was any more people from this forum in or around Portland? Oh yeah- I'm geeky again now... I'm just looking to see if any PF members want to hang out some time. Should I look in another...
  13. D

    The Simpsons mathematic geek received no attention

    I remember an episode of The Simpsons, where a mathematic geek received no attention of his fellow peers, so he shouted: PI IS EXACTLY THREE! I just couldn't help laughing:D OK, over to my recent low-leveled mathematics-discovery, regarding whether i is not equal to 1, -1 nor anything like...
  14. Evo

    The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test

    This is a different Nerd test than the other ones we've had here. Tri-Lamb Material 78 % Nerd, 30% Geek, 52% Dork For The Record: A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia. A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often...
  15. TheStatutoryApe

    The Geek Hierarchy: Visualizing the Levels of Geekdom

    I'm not sure if this may have been posted before or not but I just found it and thought I would share. http://www.brunching.com/images/geekchartbig.gif
  16. russ_watters

    Have you ever experienced a geek wound on the job?

    Yeah, engineering can be dangerous if you are an idiot. Today, I was in an attic - one that I had just commented on how open it was - when I ducked under one duct and came back up into the corner of a flanged joint between two sections of the next duct. It didn't hurt much, so I was thinking I...
  17. Norman

    Cool Geek Gift Ideas for the Holidays

    Well in the spirit of the gift giving season, I thought it might be nice to have a list of cool geek gifts. This could help the "no time to shop" people too! My favorite one was what I gave all the groomsmen at my wedding last summer. I am known as "space boy" to all my friends because of...
  18. R

    Why are power resistors so hard to find?

    [SOLVED] Why me? I'm a geek! I just ordered two hard-to-find power resistors from an online surplus store. I was very excited about it. :frown:
  19. S

    Geek Entertainment sites thread.

    to start off: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/comics.php <-Ph. D comic strip http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript <- D&D comic strip
  20. D

    Exploring the Debate: Nerd vs Geek

    Are you a nerd? The definition from wikipedia: I think I am a nerd. But I actually have some friends.
  21. recon

    My Surprising Super Geek Score: Reflections on the Geek Stereotype

    I've always thought of geeks as low-IQ stereotypes. Imagine my disappointment when I scored at the Super Geek Level on this test . :frown:
  22. Integral

    What is the Forever Flashlight and How Does it Work?

    My faviorite (Next to the complete Far Side Collection!) Is the Forever Flashlight No batteries needed! It will never run down! Pretty cool, It Has a coil and a small magnet mounted in the handle, the magnet is free to slide back and forth through the coil, thus charging a small Cap (some...
  23. Descartes

    What are some great geek getaways?

    I really need vacation, and I'd like to go somewhere that has the most edifying potential. European vacations are great (I'm in the US), but they are so at a considerably high cost; also, I'd really like to get away from the pace of my normal life. I was thinking of something like New...
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