[Ads-l] Further Antedating of "Geeky"

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Great work, Fred, Also, congratulations to Ben Zimmer who clipped the
same Ann Lander's column on newspapers.com. Below is a 1952
compilation of slang used by teenagers. The word "geeky" appeared in a
list with the descriptor "Don't Like It".

Date: May 10, 1952
Newspaper: Times Herald
Newspaper Location: Washington, District of Columbia
Article: 'Teener Talk Really Rocks, No Birding
Author: Gregory Hayes
Quote Page 13, Column 5
Database: Newspapers.com

https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-herald-geeky/202794378/

[Begin excerpt]
Starting Guide

Here's how today's dream theme (girl friend) and cool ghoul (boy
friend) give with the palaver:

I Like It: Cool, wild, frantic, terrif, snazz, mighty-mighty, IT, wonderifulous.
Don't Like It: Scroungy, geeky, nothin', bat food, ugh.
Going Steady: On the hook, tooken, on the chain.
Engaged: Snagged.
Pretty Girl: Wild child, night's delight, date bait, Jean queen.
Handsome Boy: Muscle mighty, MAN, doll.
Good Time: It was a ball, it was really rocking.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Thu, Jul 30, 2026 at 4:51 PM Shapiro, Fred
<00001ac016895344-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> geeky (OED 1981)
>
> 1959 St. Petersburg Times 25 Oct. 5-E/1 (ProQuest)
>
> Geeky Cousin Asked Her Out ... This geek is boring and I don't enjoy his company.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org