Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

erk

/ˈɝk/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.32 in modern English

Syllables: erk
IPA: /ˈɝk/

7

Scrabble Score

3

Letters

1

Syllables

3

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A member of the groundcrew in the RAF.

British usage; Slang

intj

An expression of trepidation; eek.

Colloquial

intj

An expression of revulsion or disgust; yuck.

Australian usage; Colloquial

noun

Abbreviation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"But I wasn’t accepted for flying duty—eyesight failed me. Neither was Frank, which, I’m ashamed to say, I found a relief. We were both channelled as aircrafthands, known to everyone as erks."
"‘Gawd, erk!’ She recoiled and turned away."
"‘Erk! What’s that big ugly growth you’ve got?’"

Etymology

Claimed to be a respelling of the abbreviation airc for aircraftsman; or else from irk.

Usage

Inflected Forms

erks (plural)

Derived Forms

erky

Rhymes With

work jerk clerk burke kirk dirk turk perk quirk lurk smirk merck

Questions

How do you pronounce erk?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɝk/.
What does erk mean?: A member of the groundcrew in the RAF.
Where does erk come from?: Claimed to be a respelling of the abbreviation airc for aircraftsman; or else from irk.

How to pronounce erk

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “erk”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɝk/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “erk”.
Repeat and practice — Say “erk” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.