Today it means: A genre of punk rock that originated in the 80s American underground rock scene, incorporating more noisy, transgressive, and caustic elements than traditional punk rock and primarily associated with such acts as Big Black, Butthole Surfers, and The Jesus Lizard. Full definition →
Originally coined by American music journalist Robert Christgau in 1983 to derisively describe the raucous sound of Sonic Youth. Later took on a meaning of its own, describing a style not specifically associated with the band.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.