Meaning
One with an obsessive interest in something, particularly (originally derogatory) an obsessive Japanese fan of anime or manga.
Etymology
Origin: Japanese
From Japanese オタク (otaku, “geek, nerd”) originally used in reference to the 1982 Macross fandom, from the honorific form お宅 (otaku, “you”), from the honorific form 宅 (taku, “home”) ("your home").
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024.