- (colloquial American English) was originally a 1960s slang word applied to an excessively studious person (equivalent to "grind" or "nerd"). The origins of the term are obscure. It has been described as a simple reversal of "know," linked to an obscure Old English word, and attributed to Royal Navy slang for a learned but inexperienced Midshipman .
- , presumably from the above, is someone knowledgeable about and fascinated by details of government policy and programs.
- , a character from "The Adventures of Wonk" by Muriel Levy with illustrations by Kiddell-Monroe. Published by Ladybird Books in the 1940s these children's classics are now extremely rare. Wonk was a creature best described as a cuddly Koala-like bear who got himself into all sorts of trouble. Surviving copies of the Wonk books seem to be extremely fragile, perhaps due to paper shortages during the Second World War .
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