# Meaning of African-American Word 'Freak'.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-african-american-word-freak/451972
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [June 6, 2008, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-african-american-word-freak/451972 "2008-06-06T03:08:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2008, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-african-american-word-freak/451972/1 "2008-06-06T03:08:18Z")
For some time now, I sometimes hear African Americans use the word “freak” (as a noun–judging how I heard an AA woman use the term on tv, I am pretty sure the verb form means fellatio [but please correct me if I am wrong on this]). I guess you don’t hear people using the word too much anymore. But in the 1970s and early 80s, it was quite popular. It was esp. well-known in Rick James’ song “Superfreak”. I would set up a link to the lyrics for this song. But I have often gone to lyric sites only to accidentally let in a virus on my computer. So I won’t. But I do clearly remember in the song, James gets to a point where he says “she’s a superfreak, superfreak, she’s super freaky…!”. What on earth does that word mean?
Thank you in advance to all who reply 🙂
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### Author:  [@melodyharmonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melodyharmonius)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2008, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-african-american-word-freak/451972/2 "2008-06-06T03:14:53Z")
Yes, freaking can be consider the same kind of slang as “doing the nasty,” “gettin’ down to bizness,” and in general having sex but usually with more of a kinky twist.
But also, someone can be “getting their freak on” and just be letting out their party animal or wild side. It just means letting loose, in both a sexual and non-sexual way.
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### Author:  [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2008, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-african-american-word-freak/451972/3 "2008-06-06T05:39:59Z")
I was reading around a while ago to answer one of those “is there a term for this” questions that pop up here now and then and found a page detailing how “freaking” originated separately from a “polite way” of saying “fucking” and meant something regarding masturbation (or was it mutual masturbation, I found it on a word somewhat related to metonymy, only a few jumps, started with a “c” I think, but I can’t trace it from wikipedia anymore).
Anyway, since I figure that use is long forgotten I turned to our friend urban dictionary.
Apparently it’s someone (many of them specify women, but it doesn’t seem to be a consensus) that is either really kinky, promiscuous, or will do pretty much any sexual act (which I guess somewhat falls under kinky). Though it appears the older (60’s/early 70s) meaning of the word involves being a doing drugs, dressing like a hippy, well I guess being a hippy (if it walks like a duck…).
[QUOTE=melodyharmonius]
But also, someone can be “getting their freak on” and just be letting out their party animal or wild side. It just means letting loose, in both a sexual and non-sexual way.
[/QUOTE]
Also, “freaking” is a really, really um… intimate dance among modern teens. Involving um… not really a graceful way to say this… rubbing your (clothed) genitals against your partner’s and grinding your pelvis. Usually to some godawful rap or hip-hop music.
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### Author:  [@WoodenTaco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WoodenTaco)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2008, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-african-american-word-freak/451972/4 "2008-06-06T06:17:53Z")
Urbandictionary to the rescue!
> **[Urban Dictionary: Freak](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Freak)**
>
> A girl who is most likely very innocent-looking and often shy, but when it comes to sex likes to be kinky etc.
n. a person who likes to do kinky shit in bed or have sex a lot
v. to have intercourse or makeout
n. That guy is a huge freak.
v. She likes to freak on a regular basis.
ETA: I don’t associate it with black culture at all. Seems pretty common term to me.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2008, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-african-american-word-freak/451972/5 "2008-06-06T06:23:52Z")
I’ve always known “freak,” in that context, to mean somebody who is sexually adventurous, kinky. I don’t think I’ve ever known the verb form to specifically refer to oral sex, though, just sexual intercourse in general.
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### Author:  [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2008, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-african-american-word-freak/451972/6 "2008-06-06T06:24:06Z")
A propos of nothing, in his book “A Man in Full”, Tom Wolfe describes a party in downtown Atlanta (Georgia) that was known as “Freaknic” or “Freaknik”, popular with black urban youth. It seems that the Atlanta Freaknic is now a thing of the past.
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### Author:  [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2008, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-african-american-word-freak/451972/7 "2008-06-06T07:29:26Z")
If you look at the full range of definitions given in the Urban Dictionary for “freak,” you’ll see that it can be understood in a wide variety of ways, from “weird” to various specific sexual senses. In fact, it probably deliberately can be understood in many senses. It’s like “hook up,” I think, which can be understood to mean anything from “meet with someone” to “have sex with someone.” It’s deliberately ambiguous.