# Derivation of 'Skank'.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derivation-of-skank/386499>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 3, 2007, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derivation-of-skank/386499 "2007-01-03T02:19:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derivation-of-skank/386499/1 "2007-01-03T02:19:28Z")

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Where does the word “skank” come from? What exactly is its derivation, language of origin, etc.? I know it means a dirty, low-morals female in African American slang. But my dictionary doesn’t have the word in it. It appears in a dictionary of slang I have. But no origin of the word is given at all. (Someone feel free to correct my defintion if it is wrong too 🙂 .)

Thank you in advance to all who reply 🙂

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derivation-of-skank/386499/2 "2007-01-03T03:26:28Z")

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Origin unknown, apparently.

From the Online Etymology Dictionary:

> [@](#):
>
> “unattractive woman,” 1970s, from skag in this sense (1920s), of unknown origin. Meaning “dance to reggae music” is 1976, probably not the same word, but also of unknown origin.

The Random House [Word of the Day](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=20000620) site says the same thing at much greater length.

> [@](#):
>
> The adjective skanky probably originated in Black English in the senses ‘nasty, repellent, ugly, malodorous’, and it also meant ‘sluttish, disreputable, immoral’, almost always referring to a woman. The corresponding noun skank referred to ‘a female prostitute or low-life’. Those senses of the adjective and noun have been in use from the early 1970s. One source derives skank from the words ‘skunk’ or ‘stank’, but other sources say it is of unknown derivation.
> 
> …
> 
> The noun skank, originally referring to a female prostitute, now refers to a male prostitute or pimp, or anyone connected with that industry. By extension, it refers to any immoral or sleazy person.
> 
> It seems that both skank and skanky have evolved from a specific reference to an ugly or malodorous woman, especially a female prostitute, to their current use as general-purpose insults to males as well as females. I have seen references to “skanky Calvin Klein models” and “skanky lawyers.”

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**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derivation-of-skank/386499/3 "2007-01-03T04:14:48Z")

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I googled around and found it suggested it was a combo of ‘skeevy’ + ‘rank’ as well as (and I don’t know if they were kidding) Scold + Brank (old english meaning frolicsome lacivious conduct.) Yeah, right.

A secondhand reference to the OED had the first written use being 1964 in K. Hansons ‘Rebels in the Streets’ meaning a plain, promiscuous prostitutes without pay.  
Or Ska dancing where you get your legs up high. Take your pick.

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**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derivation-of-skank/386499/4 "2007-01-03T04:16:06Z")

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Oops. That should be just ‘Rebels in Streets’.