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neatnik

/ˈnitnɪk/
IPA guide

Other forms: neatniks

If you've ever known someone who's kind of obsessed with being neat and tidy, then you're familiar with the concept of a neatnik.

We can't really talk about neatnik without also talking about beatnik, a slang term for a member of the countercultural "Beat Generation" that emerged in the U.S. in the 1950s. The stereotypical beatnik was a nonconformist, anti-establishment, rather unkempt, artsy person. The word neatnik emerged as a kind of humorous antonym, referring to an especially neat, clean, and organized person, in contrast to the looser, more easygoing beatnik.

Definitions of neatnik
  1. noun
    a person who is extremely tidy and organized
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