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funk 1 (fŭngk)
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n.
A strong, usually unpleasant smell; reek.

[Probably ultimately from a northern French dialectal source such as Picard and Walloon funquer, to produce smoke, from Vulgar Latin *fūmicāre, alteration of Latin fūmigāre; see FUMIGATE.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
funk 2 (fŭngk)
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n.
1. Music
a. A hearty or earthy quality appreciated in music such as jazz or soul.
b. A type of popular music combining elements of jazz, blues, and soul and characterized by syncopated rhythm and a heavy, repetitive bassline.
2. Slang An unsophisticated quality or atmosphere of a region or locality: "The setting is country funk" (Nina Martin).

[Back-formation from FUNKY2.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
funk 3 (fŭngk)
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n.
1.
a. A state of cowardly fright; a panic.
b. A state of severe depression.
2. A cowardly, fearful person.
v. funked, funk·ing, funks
v.tr.
1. To shrink from in fright or dread.
2. To be afraid of.
v.intr.
To shrink in fright.

[Probably from obsolete Flemish fonck, disturbance, agitation, of unknown origin.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Funk (fŭngk, fngk), Casimir 1884-1967.
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Polish-born American biochemist who identified substances in food that prevent nutritional deficiency diseases and called these substances vitamins.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.