An idiot or fool
Berk
Example Sentences
"You absolute berk!"
"Don't be such a berk."
"What a berk."
Etymology & History
British mild insult for fool, from Cockney rhyming slang 'Berkeley Hunt' = c**t. Shortened and sanitized so most users unaware of vulgar origin. Used since the 1930s. Considered very mild now, safe for use around children. Shows how rhyming slang can clean up vulgar terms.
Word Details
📍
Region
London/Cockney
📅
Era
Interwar Period
🔞
Language
Vulgar
💬
Formality
Slang
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Anglotopia's Dictionary of British English 2nd Edition
British Slang from A to Zed
By Jonathan Thomas
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