dank meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

dank

adj

CA, US /ˈdeɪ̯ŋk/ · /ˈdæŋk/

Etymology From Middle English danke (“wet, damp; dampness, moisture”), probably from North Germanic, related to Swedish dank (“marshy spot”), Icelandic dökk (“pool”), Old Norse dǫkk (“pit, depression”), from Proto-Germanic *dankwaz (“dark”). However, some trace it to a West Germanic source such as Dutch damp (“vapor”) or Middle High German damph, both ultimately from Proto-Germanic *dampaz (“smoke, steam, vapor”). Modern slang senses derived from the drug sense; compare based (“awesome, especially in a right-wing context online”) from drug terminology freebased.

1

Dark, damp and humid.

The dank cave was chilly and spooky.
Now that the fields are dank and ways are mire.1646 (indicated as 1645), John Milton, Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], →OCLC:

3 more examples

Cheerless watches on the cold, dank ground.1835, Richard Chenevix Trench, The Story of Justin Martyr:
Who were the strugglers, what war did they wage, / Whose savage trample thus could pad the dank / Soil to a plash? [...]1855, Robert Browning, Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came, section XXII:
It's a world away from the dank and uninviting St Pancras that British Rail wanted to tear down in the 1960s.2022 November 30, Nick Brodrick, “Pride and innovation shine at St Pancras”, in RAIL, number 971, page 69:

2

Figuratively, Of marijuana Moist and sticky, (by extension) highly potent.

That was dank bud.

3

Internet, Ironic, Often Great, awesome.

4

Expounding right-wing views in a cool way; based.

His house organ Breitbart and a host of Trump-right websites and news outlets sang praises to his dank genius.2018, January 5, Rick Wilson, “Bannon Banished for Telling Truths About Trump as MAGA Monsters Turn on Each Other”, in The Daily Beast:
One thing that always brings me joy at this time of year is to spot a really dank meme. Or seeing the number of plays on my Jordan Peterson podcast, or beholding one of my mutuals get traction on X with a thread on Cultural Marxism and Gender Ideology[…]2025 May 2, Stephen Collins, “What to look for in Spring with Kemi Badenoch”, in The Guardian:

Derived terms: danken, dankish, dankly, dank meme, dankness, danksome

dank

noun

Etymology From Middle English danke (“wet, damp; dampness, moisture”), probably from North Germanic, related to Swedish dank (“marshy spot”), Icelandic dökk (“pool”), Old Norse dǫkk (“pit, depression”), from Proto-Germanic *dankwaz (“dark”). However, some trace it to a West Germanic source such as Dutch damp (“vapor”) or Middle High German damph, both ultimately from Proto-Germanic *dampaz (“smoke, steam, vapor”). Modern slang senses derived from the drug sense; compare based (“awesome, especially in a right-wing context online”) from drug terminology freebased.

1

Moisture; humidity; water.

The ravviſh danke of clumzie vvinter ramps / The fluent ſummers vaine: and drizling ſleete / Chilleth the vvan bleak cheek of the numd earth, / VVhilſt ſnarling guſts nibble the iuyceles leaues, / From the nak't ſhuddring branch; […]1600 or 1601 (date written), I. M. [i.e., John Marston], “The Prologue”, in Antonios Reuenge. The Second Part. […], London: […] [Richard Bradock] for Thomas Fisher, and are to be soulde [by Matthew Lownes] […], published 1602, →OCLC, signature A2, recto:
Yet oft they quit | The dank, and rising on siff pennons, tow'r | the mid aerial sky1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC:

2

Dankness; a dark, moist and usually unpleasant atmosphere.

You ain't thinking of getting rid of the dank, are you, Moe?1995, Greg Daniels, Bart Sells His Soul (The Simpsons):
Out of curiosity I follow him down into the dank of the basement.2002, Wendel Messer, The Sink: The Last Days of Driving, Wendel Messer, →ISBN:

1 more example

Now, though, there was a sound that seemed quite out of place there in the dank of the forest. It was the most beautiful, harmonious sound that Susie had ever heard.2006 July 4, Michele Baxter, The Chronicles of Serendipus: The Tale of the Secret Keeper, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 77:

3

Slang Strong, high-quality cannabis.

I got more growin' pains than Maggie / 'Cause homies nag me to take the dank out of the baggie1995, “I Got 5 on It”, in Operation Stackola, performed by Luniz:
Smoking mids will get you about three times higher than shwag, and same for dank—it'll be about six times higher than smoking some mids.2015, Scott Jacques, Richard Wright, Code of the Suburb, page 9:

dank

verb

Etymology From Middle English danken, from the adjective (see above).

1

Obsolete To moisten, dampen; used of mist, dew etc.

dank

noun

1

Historical A small silver coin formerly used in Persia.