A freak is a person who is physically deformed or transformed due to an extraordinary medical condition or body modification. This definition was first attested with this meaning in the 1880s as a shorter form of the phrase "

freak of nature ''Freak of Nature'' is the second studio album by American singer Anastacia. It was released on November 23, 2001, by Epic Records and Daylight Records. The album was primarily produced by Ric Wake, Sam Watters, and Louis Biancaniello, with addi ...

", itself a broader term meaning "

whimsy Whimsical may refer to: * Whimsical (horse) (born 1903), 1906 winner of the Preakness Stakes * "Whimsical," a song by Days of the New from their 1997 album '' Days of the New'' (also known as the "Orange album") * Whimsical Stakes, a Canadian Thor ...

or caprice of nature", attributed at least as far back as 1847. The term's original neutral

connotation A connotation is a commonly understood cultural or emotional association that any given word or phrase carries, in addition to its explicit or literal meaning, which is its denotation. A connotation is frequently described as either positive o ...

became entirely negative during the 20th century; therefore, ''freak'' with its literal meaning of "abnormally developed individual" is viewed purely as a pejorative today. However, the term is also recently used playfully to refer to an enthusiast or obsessive person.

Usage

Freak saw usage as jargon by promoters and performers of freak shows, though its use in this sense has decreased along with the popularity of freak shows. One well-known example of this word was in reference to Joseph Merrick, the "Elephant Man." As a jargon, side-show freaks were classified into two groups: ''natural freaks'' and ''self-made freaks''. A natural freak would usually have been born with a genetic abnormality, while a self-made freak was a person who was altered artificially (with methods such as surgical implants). The term has a variety of much more recent meanings. An example is something strikingly unusual about one's appearance or behavior. This usage originated from " freak scene" during the 1960s and 1970s, most famously promoted by the album '' Freak Out!'' made by the

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band '' The Mothers of Invention''. A recent usage of ''freak'' is as a synonym for enthusiast, such as a ''health freak''; or referring to obsessive behavior, such as '' control freak''.

In science

Freak is used in science to describe plants and animals with a genetic mutation.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Freak Pejorative terms for people with disabilities Circus slang English-language slang

Usage

In science

See also

References