wonk


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wonk

 (wŏngk)
n. Slang
1. A student who studies excessively; a grind.
2. One who studies an issue or topic thoroughly or excessively: "leading a talkathon of policy wonks in a methodical effort to build consensus for his programs" (Michael Kranish).

[Origin unknown.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

wonk

(wɒŋk)
n
informal a person who is obsessively interested in a specified subject: a foreign policy wonk.
[C20: of uncertain origin]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

wonk

(wɒŋk)

n. Slang.
1. a student who studies intensively; grind.
2. a person who studies a subject or issue in an excessively assiduous and thorough manner: a policy wonk.
[1960–65, Amer.; of uncertain orig.]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.wonk - an insignificant student who is ridiculed as being affected or boringly studiouswonk - an insignificant student who is ridiculed as being affected or boringly studious
assimilator, learner, scholar - someone (especially a child) who learns (as from a teacher) or takes up knowledge or beliefs
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations

wonk

n (US inf) → Streber(in) m(f) (inf); she’s a policy wonksie kennt die (Politik)richtlinien bis zum letzten Komma
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
References in periodicals archive ?
In his suit, Riggs alleges that in 2010, police entered the suite without consent during one search and unlawfully seized incense from Coffee Wonk in a separate search during the same day.
And you don't have to be a wonk to want to read on.
Wonk began writing the poems that make up the literary half of Nocturnes when he saw several photogravures that Sacabo had printed.
Mr Clegg said: "Tim Leunig is a clever policy wonk, but he's so utterly and totally wrong in what he said about the North-South divide.
I have recently discovered, however, that what I believe as an education policy wonk is not always what I believe as a father.
Of interest to general readers, especially those of the "political wonk" persuasion, this timely look at the recent history of the Obama administration examines the flurry of political warfare during the mid-term elections of 2010 and the subsequent events both internally and internationally that framed the debates ongoing in this current election season.
The remark drew an immediate rebuke from former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, a military wonk now in the opposition camp.
Lastly, I could not restrict my professional description to "policy wonk"--one whose paramount duty is to research and write about public policy--because I am primarily an advocate.
It is remarkable that this 37-year-old first generation American policy wonk is being regarded as the Grand Old Party's new young savior.
No, the priority for Democrats is first to expose the criminal abuses of the Bush elites and not to bring expert witnesses and policy wonk ideas to committee hearings.
He's a wonk. He gets into it, and he's had very strong feelings about issues that he's held for a long time.