twerp

• twirp

Of uncertain origin; originally British slang of the 1910s. In a letter, dated 6 October 1944, J. R. R. Tolkien mentions a contemporary of his at Oxford University T.W. Earp, calling him "the original twerp"; but no corroborating evidence for this etymology has come to light. Other suggestions include: a clipping of Antwerp (“type of racing pigeon that flew between Antwerp and London”); the onomatopoeic twirp (“imitation of the sound of a bird”); a dialectal variant of dwarf (compare Middle English dwerf); Welsh twp (“a fool”).

• (General American) IPA^(key): /twɝp/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /twɜːp/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)p

twerp (plural twerps) (colloquial)

1. (UK) A fool, a twit.

   Synonyms: twit, git

   Now you've broken it, you twerp!

   • 1940, Fred Godfrey (lyrics and music), “Bless 'Em All”‎performed by George Formby:

     There's many an airman just finishin' his time. There's many a twerp signing on.

2. (US, childish) A small or puny person; one regarded as insignificant, contemptible.

   Synonyms: twerk; see also Thesaurus:worthless person

   Get out of my way, you little twerp!

3. (US, childish) A person who can be bullied playfully, or easily teased. Sometimes used as a pet-name (often for a younger sibling).

• derp
• twerk

• See Citations:twerp.