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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate

gook

gook
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Gook (noun) means an offensive, derogatory slur for people of East or Southeast Asian descent, especially originating in US military use during 20th-century conflicts in Asia. Example: “The term was widely condemned as a racial slur used during wartime propaganda.”

noun
1
An offensive, derogatory slur for people of East or Southeast Asian descent, especially originating in US military use during 20th-century conflicts in Asia.
"The term was widely condemned as a racial slur used during wartime propaganda."
2
Slang for grime, mud, or thick sludge.
"There was a layer of gook stuck to the bottom of the pan."
""Roost No More" was a yellow gook that Joe's people would spread around, for a fee, on the ledges of houses and commercial buildings plagued by pigeons." — Len O'Connor, A Reporter in Sweet Chicago (1983)

How to use gook

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA deeply offensive ethnic slur historically tied to US wartime slang; also, separately, informal slang for grime or sludge.

When to use it

Highly offensive as an ethnic slur — avoid entirely except in direct historical or linguistic discussion.

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Word forms

Plural
gooks
Third person singular
gooks
Past tense
gooked

Etymology

First recorded in the 1890s as US military slang applied to Filipinos, later extended during conflicts in Nicaragua, Haiti, Korea, and Vietnam to refer to local populations.

· First attested 1890

Class of 1890 gook joined the language around 1890.
bangs brunch diesel fink heroin
See the full Class of 1890 →

Synonyms

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goo sludge slime goop gunk muck ooze guck

Related words

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Rhymes for gook

ook book look cook rook hook nook kook sook fook mook wook
See all rhymes for gook →

Frequently asked questions

What does “gook” mean?
The word “gook” means an offensive, derogatory slur for people of East or Southeast Asian descent, especially originating in US military use during 20th-century conflicts in Asia. In plain terms, a deeply offensive ethnic slur historically tied to US wartime slang; also, separately, informal slang for grime or sludge.
How do you pronounce “gook”?
“Gook” is pronounced gook (/ɡuːk/ in IPA).
How do you use “gook” in a sentence?
Here is “gook” used in a sentence: “There was a layer of gook stuck to the bottom of the pan.”
What part of speech is “gook”?
“Gook” is a noun.
Where does the word “gook” come from?
The word “gook” dates back to around 1890. First recorded in the 1890s as US military slang applied to Filipinos, later extended during conflicts in Nicaragua, Haiti, Korea, and Vietnam to refer to local populations.
How many meanings does “gook” have?
“Gook” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an offensive, derogatory slur for people of East or Southeast Asian descent, especially originating in US military use during 20th-century conflicts in Asia.

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