Funk

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ʌŋk

From Middle English funke, fonke ("spark"), from Old English *funca, *fanca ("spark"), from Proto-Germanic *funkô, *fankô ("spark"), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peng-, *(s)pheng- ("to shine"). Cognate with Middle Low German funke, fanke ("spark"), Middle Dutch vonke ("spark"), Old High German funcho, funko ("spark"), German Funke ("spark"). More at spunk.

Full definition of funk

Noun

1. (obsolete) spark
2. (obsolete) touchwood, punk, tinder

1743, Scottish and Northern English dialectal word, originally a verb meaning "to panic, fail due to panic". Perhaps from or cognate with obsolete Dutch fonck ("distress, agitation"), from Middle Dutch fonck ("perturbation, agitation"). More at flunk.

Noun

1. (countable) mental depression
2. (uncountable) A state of fear or panic, especially cowardly

Verb

1. To shrink from, or avoid something because of fear

1620, from French dialectal (Norman) funquer, funquier ("to smoke, reek"), from Old Northern French fungier ("to smoke"), from Vulgar Latin fūmicāre, alteration of Latin fūmigāre ("to smoke, fumigate"). Related to French dialect funkière ("smoke"). More at fumigate.

Noun

1. (countable) Foul or unpleasant smell, especially body odour.
2. (uncountable) Music that combines traditional forms of black music (as blues, gospel, or soul) and is characterized by a strong backbeat.

Derived terms

• electrofunk
• funky

Verb

1. (intransitive) To emit an offensive smell; to stink.
2. (transitive) To envelop with an offensive smell or smoke.----