What it means
A classic British insult for someone who's being an idiot, a selfish pain, or just an all-round arse. It can be lobbed as matey banter or with real heat, depending on the tone. The literal meaning sits in the background, but most of the time it's about rotten behaviour, not the actual act.
Usage examples
"Some wanker in a white van cut me up on the North Circular then leant on his horn like I’d done him wrong. Proper wanker."
"Some absolute wanker parked across two bays at the pub car park and then complained loudly that the kitchen had run out of scampi. Karma served the dessert."
"Stop being a wanker about the group photo, mate, just stand next to your sister for ten seconds, she has flown from Auckland and your hair is fine, honestly."
"That wanker nicked my taxi after watching me wave it down for five minutes."
"Don’t be a wanker, just say sorry and move on."
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Where it comes from
It comes from British English wank, meaning to masturbate. Wank shows up in slang from the early 20th century, and wanker was firmly established as an insult by the mid 1900s. After that, the rude literal sense stayed there, but everyday use shifted hard toward meaning idiot, prat, or annoying git.
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