Dank
/dæŋk/noun
Unpleasantly damp, cold, and often dark.
Did you know?The word is ancient Germanic, and its history is tied to the physical feeling of dampness and chill rather than any mystical meaning, though modern slang later flipped it into a compliment.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*þankaz
“thought; feeling; gratitude”
Old English
OE
þanc
“thought; will; gratitude”
Middle English
ME
dank
“moist, damp, wet”
Early Modern English
English
dank
“damp, chilly, and often unpleasant”
Modern English
English
dank
“unpleasantly moist or, in slang, excellent/cool”