What does junkie mean?
Junkie is an informal word for a person who is addicted to a drug, especially an illegal narcotic. It can also mean someone with an obsessive enthusiasm for a particular activity, interest, or type of food, as in a junk food junkie or a music junkie. The drug-related sense carries stigma and may sound offensive when used carelessly, while the broader enthusiast sense can be playful or affectionate. The word is common in British and American English but remains chiefly slang. Its development illustrates how a narrow term for narcotic addiction expanded into a general label for obsessive devotion. In most contexts, it is more conversational and potentially derogatory than the neutral words addict, enthusiast, or devotee.
nounAn informal term for a person who is addicted to a drug, especially an illegal narcotic; by extension, an enthusiastic devotee of something, such as junk food.
- A person who is addicted to a drug, especially an illegal narcotic.
- A person who is enthusiastically or obsessively devoted to something, especially junk food or a particular hobby or interest.
"She was a junkie for vintage synthesizers and spent hours searching for rare models."
"The documentary follows several people who were once known as junkies in the neighborhood."
"At the party, every music junkie was crowded around the turntables."
This is the standard plural. It can sound especially derogatory when used for people with drug addictions.
"The support group provides practical help for former junkies trying to maintain their recovery."
Once used chiefly for people addicted to narcotics, junkie has evolved into a playful or dismissive label for anyone with an obsessive passion.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does junkie come from?
Junkie is a 20th-century English slang formation built on junk with the suffix -ie. It emerged in the early 20th century, initially referring to a person addicted to narcotics. Over time, its figurative use broadened to describe an obsessive enthusiast, especially of junk food or a particular hobby.
How junkie is actually used
The word is informal and can be derogatory, particularly when referring to drug addiction. Its extended sense may be affectionate, humorous, or dismissive depending on context and tone.
Easily confused with junkie
Junkie usually names a person who is addicted to or intensely enthusiastic about something, whereas junky describes something of poor quality or strongly associated with junk.
Junk is the unwanted or discarded material itself, while junkie is a slang term for a person who is addicted to or obsessively devoted to something.