Freak
A freak is a person who is physically deformed or transformed due to an extraordinary medical condition or body modification. This definition was first attested with this meaning in the 1880s as a shorter form of the phrase "freak of nature", itself a broader term meaning "whimsy or caprice of nature", attributed at least as far back as 1847.[1] The term's original neutral connotation became entirely negative during the 20th century; therefore, freak with its literal meaning of "abnormally developed individual" is viewed purely as a pejorative today.[2][3] However, the term is also recently used playfully to refer to an enthusiast or obsessive person.
Usage
Freak saw usage as
The term has a variety of much more recent meanings. An example is something strikingly unusual about one's appearance or behavior. This usage originated from "freak scene" during the 1960s and 1970s, most famously promoted by the album Freak Out! made by the rock band The Mothers of Invention.
A recent usage of freak is as a synonym for
In science
Freak is used in science to describe plants and animals with a genetic mutation.[9][10]
See also
References
- ^ "freak". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ Sherman, Howard (26 September 2014). "'Freak' is a slur and 'Freak Show' is propagating it. Disabled people deserve better". The Guardian.
- ISBN 978-0-230-61066-8.
- ^ The Rise and Fall of Circus Freakshows https://priceonomics.com/the-rise-and-fall-of-circus-freakshows/
- ^ Joseph Merrick at the Encyclopædia Britannica
- . Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- ^ For example, in the name of the British television show, Teenage Health Freak.
- ^ Harper, Douglas. "freak". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2020-04-01.
- ^ "Human and animal freaks of nature". New Scientist. 7 January 2009.
- .