Geek

geek, n. 1. in original general usage, a circus or carnival performer who uses unusual physical abilities, such as contortion, self-mutilation, and biting off the heads of live animals, to entertain. 2. a socially ostracized person, usu. of an intellectual bent. 3. a person whose inordinately deep interest in some arcane topic, often computers, academia, mathematics, science, science-fiction, etc., detracts from their ability to relate socially with the general population; gamers are a subset of geek. See high-functioning geek. [GJ1]
----
Addendum: "Geek" used to be a much more pejorative term than it now is; but in the years since David Byrne, Bill Gates, and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" made it socially acceptable to be a geek, it's almost become a compliment (almost). Still, it's always been difficult to understand why someone who spends are their time memorizing inconsequential "Babylon 5" trivia is a "geek," but someone obsessed with inconsequential sports trivia is "cool." See the geek code here if you want to flash your affiliation. [EDE; suggested by KB,TWN]