wanker
Meaning
a stupid or unpleasant person, especially a man (used as a term of abuse or contempt)
a person who masturbates (vulgar slang)
Structure
Usage
don't be such a wanker and help us with the work.
he was dismissed as a bunch of posh wankers with no real-world experience.
the angry driver shouted at the cyclist, calling him a bloody wanker.
Etymology
The term 'wanker' is a relatively Modern English slang formation. Its first element, 'wank', is a vulgar verb of uncertain but likely British origin from the early 20th century, possibly imitative or a variant of dialectal words. This verb was combined with the prolific agentive suffix '-er', of Old English and Germanic descent, which commonly forms nouns denoting a person associated with an action. The word's primary literal meaning, referring to a person who masturbates, evolved through figurative extension into a common term of insult, implying self-absorption, worthlessness, or contemptible behavior, particularly in British and commonwealth English.
Analysis
wank (origin uncertain, likely from 20th century British slang, possibly imitative or related to 'whang'); er (from Old English -ere, agent noun suffix, from Proto-Germanic -ārijaz, indicating a person who performs an action)