noun
skank
SKANGK
Skank (noun) means a dance style performed to ska, reggae, or dub music, with a distinctive rhythmic bounce. Example: “The crowd started to skank as soon as the horns kicked in.”
noun
1
A dance style performed to ska, reggae, or dub music, with a distinctive rhythmic bounce.
"He took it another step and brought blues into reggae music. I don’t play skank. I don’t play reggae guitar. So I had to call."
— Jas Obrecht, Ben Harper in San Francisco, May 3, 1994 (2017)
"The crowd started to skank as soon as the horns kicked in."
"All reggae dance represents a dialogue with that basic movement which is the skank — a kind of offbeat walking on the spot"
— Kwame Dawes, Natural Mysticism: Towards a New Reggae Aesthetic in Caribbean Writing (1999)
2
A crude slang term for a disreputable or promiscuous person, usually used as an insult.
How to use skank
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMainly used for the reggae/ska dance style; also exists as a vulgar insult, which is offensive and best avoided.
When to use it
The insult sense is vulgar and demeaning; avoid it in polite or formal contexts.
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Word forms
- Plural
- skanks
- Third person singular
- skanks
- Past tense
- skanked
- Comparative
- more skank
- Superlative
- most skank
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The crowd started to _____ as soon as the horns kicked in.
Etymology
Origin uncertain; possibly related to the older slang word "skag," itself of unknown origin.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for skank
See all rhymes for skank →Frequently asked questions
What does “skank” mean?
The word “skank” means a dance style performed to ska, reggae, or dub music, with a distinctive rhythmic bounce. In plain terms, mainly used for the reggae/ska dance style; also exists as a vulgar insult, which is offensive and best avoided.
How do you pronounce “skank”?
“Skank” is pronounced SKANGK (/ˈskeɪ̯ŋk/ in IPA).
How do you use “skank” in a sentence?
Here is “skank” used in a sentence: “The crowd started to skank as soon as the horns kicked in.”
What part of speech is “skank”?
“Skank” is a noun.
How many meanings does “skank” have?
“Skank” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a dance style performed to ska, reggae, or dub music, with a distinctive rhythmic bounce.
