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nerd

n. · v.
US //ˈnɝd// UK //nˈɜːd// nerd
  1. 1 intellectual/technical person (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    someone who is very intelligent but might be quiet or socially awkward.

    an intellectual person who may lack social skills or be perceived as introverted.

    Example

    He was a bit of a nerd in high school, always spending his lunch breaks in the library.

    Example

    The stereotype of the socially isolated nerd has been largely replaced by the image of the successful tech entrepreneur.
  2. 2 an obsessive fan (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    someone who is extremely interested in a specific subject, like science, history, or films.

    an enthusiast who possesses an obsessive or highly detailed knowledge of a specific niche or hobby.

    Example

    My brother is a total history nerd and can tell you everything about the Roman Empire.

    Example

    She describes herself as a musical theatre nerd, having memorized the librettos of every major production from the last decade.
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  1. 3 to show intense interest (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Slang

    to talk or act with great excitement about a technical or niche subject.

    to engage in or discuss a technical or niche subject with obsessive enthusiasm; usually used with 'out'.

    Example

    We spent the whole night nerding out over the new space telescope images.

    Example

    The engineers spent their lunch break nerding out over the nuances of the new programming language's syntax.

    Usage

    usually functions as a phrasal verb with 'out'

    Teacher's tip

    This verb use is very modern and informal; it suggests a joyful loss of self-control when discussing a hobby.
Origin

Unknown. Attested since 1951 as US student slang. * Perhaps an alteration of nerts (“nuts", "crazy”); see references below. * The word, capitalized, appeared in 1950 in Dr. Seuss’s If I Ran the Zoo as the name of an imaginary animal: *: And then, just to show them, I’ll sail to Katroo / And bring back an It-Kutch, a Preep and a Proo, / A Nerkle, a Nerd and a Seersucker too! * Possibly a rebracketing of inert as a nert, as in he's inert = he's a nerd, in reference to one's lack of competence or athletic ability. * Various unlikely folk etymologies and less likely backronymic speculations also exist.

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