# What does the word "nerd" mean to you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 23, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298 "2005-08-23T18:09:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/1 "2005-08-23T18:09:14Z")
Some posters in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=331426) seem to think that just being obsessed by _anything_ gives you the right to call yourself a nerd. Nope. Sorry. IMHO, you have to have an obsession with some “hard” science and/or computers, an interest in science fiction or fantasy, _plus_ a marked lack of social skills. Who ever heard of a “Hemmingway nerd” or a “Schubert geek”? What say you? ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/2 "2005-08-23T18:11:59Z")
I say anyone who obsesses about what geek label goes where is a nerd. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/3 "2005-08-23T18:12:09Z")
This one time…at band camp… ---
**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/4 "2005-08-23T18:13:40Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > I say anyone who obsesses about what geek label goes where is a nerd. > > –Cliffy I _did_ score a 59% on the test. Second highest score so far. I am at peace with my nerdiness. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/5 "2005-08-23T19:07:51Z")
Here’s how I always broke it down. Imagine there’s going to be a big, fun party. Music, drinking (if you’re into that), dancing, even food. The NERD will hear about the party, but rather than go, he will be up all night in his lab, working on a lifelike robot of the perfect woman, and have a perfectly fine time. The GEEK will actually go to the party, attempt to change the music to Frank Zappa or Ween or Danny Elfman (pissing off all the dancers in the process), critique the host’s music and movie collections, and end up slumped in the corner, bitterly watching the dancers, or raiding the refreshments. The DORK will sneak into the party (uninvited), take a colossal dump after butting to the head of the bathroom line, and end up overflowing the toilet in the process. In the sewagy panic that ensues, he will be chased out, but trip over the prettiest girl there on his way out, copping a feel if he can, and knock the entire refreshment table over onto the GEEK. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/6 "2005-08-23T19:15:22Z")
What about the DWEEB? And the SPAZ? No, this breakdown won’t do at all! ---
**Author:** ![Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meaty_Beaty_Big_and_Bouncy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/7 "2005-08-23T19:15:47Z")
What it always meant to me was that I wasn’t one, until I took that test (46.4% 232/500 closet nerd). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/8 "2005-08-23T19:34:48Z")
> [@SusanStoHelit](#): > > Some posters in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=331426) seem to think that just being obsessed by _anything_ gives you the right to call yourself a nerd. > > Nope. Sorry. IMHO, you have to have an obsession with some “hard” science and/or computers, an interest in science fiction or fantasy, _plus_ a marked lack of social skills. Who ever heard of a “Hemmingway nerd” or a “Schubert geek”? > > What say you? In my experience, a “nerd” was anyone obsessively preoccupied with book learning to the detriment of his/her social skills. Nerds need not be math- or science-based. You can easily have a literature nerd, or a classical music nerd. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/9 "2005-08-23T19:50:59Z")
But, I would call myself a nerd and I have wicked social skills. If someone is into book learning (math, physics, other hard sciences) and it doesn’t change their social skills, what do you call them? Geek? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/10 "2005-08-23T20:01:23Z")
[These guys](http://www.the-nerds.com). ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/11 "2005-08-23T20:11:20Z")
To me Nerd is more associated with Tech & Science & High IQ. Nerds are the Trekkies, Tekkers, FanBoys (Star Wars & Comics) Minimal Social skills, D&D players. Jason Foxtrot is an excellent example of a young Nerd. Geek is more General and includes all nerds. A larger set. Example is the Band Geek. My niece was a band geek but otherwise normal and outgoing. The DORK can be but is not required to be a Nerd or Geek. He is usually someone that is tolerated by friends and hated by the cool kids. Usually dumber than the Nerd. I would call Booger of Revenge of the Nerds a good example of the Dork and Millhouse will grow up to be one. “But I’m not smart enough to be a nerd” DWEEB & SPAZ. Are these truly separate or just descriptive of the above categories. Dweeb is a Nerd or Geek who allows others to pick on them consistently. A Good nerd will concoct an excellent revenge. A Spaz: Just the prototypical non-coordinate Nerd or Geek I think. I believe I was a social Nerd who has grown up to be an Alpha Geek. I was never the Dork or Dweeb. I had my Spaz moments. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/12 "2005-08-23T20:19:33Z")
My scale: Wonk: anybody obsessed with (and good at) particular intellectual topics. Geek: A wonk whose obsession concerns science/tech. Nerd: A wonk with bad social skills. [Milhous] I’m not a nerd. Nerds are smart. [/Milhous] ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/13 "2005-08-23T20:21:00Z")
I never considered nerds to be smart. In fact, they were average or below, with no social skills. I think geeks are a bit smarter. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/14 "2005-08-23T20:26:04Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I never considered nerds to be smart. In fact, they were average or below, with no social skills. I think geeks are a bit smarter. [Urbandictionary.com](http://Urbandictionary.com)’s definitions seem to mostly agree that nerds are pretty smart. I’ve never encountered the word “nerd” in reference to somebody who was not of above-average intelligence. The web defintions seem to also say that geeks are second-rate nerds. Apparently, nerd is higher up in the hierarchy. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/15 "2005-08-23T20:26:08Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I never considered nerds to be smart. In fact, they were average or below, with no social skills. I think geeks are a bit smarter. Eh? I always thought nerds and geeks were both smart, but dorks were average or below. ---
**Author:** ![Cemetery\_Savior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Cemetery\_Savior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cemetery_Savior)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/16 "2005-08-23T20:28:44Z")
> [@ZebraShaSha](#): > > But, I would call myself a nerd and I have wicked social skills. If someone is into book learning (math, physics, other hard sciences) and it doesn’t change their social skills, what do you call them? Geek? Demented and sad, but social. ---
**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/17 "2005-08-23T20:33:37Z")
Didn’t a geek used to be a term for a sideshow act? I thought that a geek was an old homeless alcoholic who they would let get good and scruffy, put a bit of costume on, and call a wolfman or somesuch. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/18 "2005-08-23T20:35:43Z")
> [@SusanStoHelit](#): > > Didn’t a geek used to be a term for a sideshow act? I thought that a geek was an old homeless alcoholic who they would let get good and scruffy, put a bit of costume on, and call a wolfman or somesuch. Sideshow geeks would bite the heads off live chickens and snakes as part of their act. ---
**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/19 "2005-08-23T20:36:36Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > Sideshow geeks would bite the heads off live chickens and snakes as part of their act. Cool. How did the term come to its current meaning? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298/20 "2005-08-23T20:43:32Z")
> [@SusanStoHelit](#): > > Cool. How did the term come to its current meaning? A pretty good attempt to classify the Modern Geek. > **[Geek](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geek)** > > The word geek is a slang term originally used to describe eccentric or non-mainstream people; in current use, the word typically connotes an expert or enthusiast obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit. In the past, it had a generally pejorative meaning of a "peculiar person, especially one who is perceived to be overly intellectual, unfashionable, boring, or socially awkward". In the 21st century, it was reclaimed and used by many people, especially members of some fandom, as a positive My understanding is that the sideshow term started being used as a derogatory term by Alpha’s & Jocks. But then those damn Geeks starting taking pride in being Geeks when we realized we end up eventually out earning the average normal and our numbers are growing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-word-nerd-mean-to-you/318298.md?page=2)