Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
noun
An engineer or scientist, especially one engaged in technological or military research.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Australia, Ireland, New-Zealand, UK, informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: backroom boy
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A person with specialized knowledge or skills, especially one who is socially awkward.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Australia, Ireland, New-Zealand, UK, broadly, informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: brain, brainiac, egghead, boffin, bright spark, geek, nerd, Poindexter, propeller head, shrewd article, smart cookie, supernerd, whiz
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A person with specialized knowledge or skills, especially one who is socially awkward.
an intellectual; a smart person.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Australia, Ireland, New-Zealand, UK, broadly, informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: brain, brainiac, egghead, boffin, bright spark, geek, nerd, Poindexter, propeller head, shrewd article, smart cookie, supernerd, whiz
Antonyms: none provided
noun
(British slang) a scientist or technician engaged in military research
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: research worker, researcher, investigator
History
Origin unknown; a number of possible etymologies have been suggested, but no conclusive evidence exists. One strong theory conjectures a connection from the "Mr. Boffins" of English novels, such as in Dickens' Our Mutual Friend.
Across languages
22 source translations are retained for this English entry.
