Geek

In its modern form, this is an American, largely derogatory word for a freaky, idiotic person that gained popularity from the 1970s onwards. In its old, archaic form it was spelt geeke or geck and derived from an Old Dutch or German word gheek meaning a fool or simpleton. It was used in this sense from the early 1500s onwards. Shakespeare used the word geck (pronounced geek) in two of his plays, Cymbeline and Twelfth Night, but the word then fell into disuse until its re-emergence in America during the 1970s. More recently, from the early 21st century, geek has become less derogatory and more acceptable, especially in the context of digital and computer technology.