geek
n. countablen. someone who is very interested in a specific subject, like computers or history, and knows a lot about it. It used to be an insult, but now people use it to show they are proud of their hobbies.
n. an enthusiast or expert in a particular niche subject or activity, often one involving technology or intellectual pursuits. Historically pejorative, the term has undergone significant reappropriation and is now frequently used as a badge of identity.
My brother is a total computer geek who builds his own machines.
She describes herself as a history geek and spends every weekend visiting local museums and archives.
While the term once carried a social stigma, the modern tech industry has transformed the image of the geek into one of intellectual and economic influence.
Started as carnival slang, likely from the British dialectal term geck (“a fool, dupe, simpleton”) (1510s), apparently from Dutch gek or Low German geck, from an imitative verb found in North Sea Germanic and Scandinavian meaning "to croak, cackle," and also "to mock, cheat" (Dutch gekken, German gecken, Danish gække, Norwegian gakke, Swedish gäcka). The root still survives in the Dutch adjective noun gek (“crazy" or "crazy person”). Compare gink and also Old Norse gikkr (“a pert, rude person; jester; fool”).
Probably related to keek. Compare German gucken (“look”), kieken (“look”) and the dialectal corruption of Dutch keek (“keek”) (from kijk (“look”)), kijken (“to look”). Australian use from Cornish dialect.
Often used as a modifier before another noun to specify the area of interest, such as 'film geek' or 'math geek'.