Etymology

hurkle-durkle

Today it means: To lounge in bed for an excessive period of time; to bed rot. Full definition →

Scots hurkle-durkle ← Old Norse herpa?
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The story

  1. Old Norseherpa?
  2. Scotshurkle
  3. Scotshurkle-durkle
  4. English todayhurkle-durkle

Borrowed from Scots hurkle-durkle (“to lounge in bed”), from hurkle. The term was introduced into English after lexicographer Susie Dent began spreading awareness of the term in 2015, and went viral on TikTok in 2024.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.