'dork' originates from American slang, possibly derived from 'dick,' a vulgar term for the male genitalia, used in a non-literal sense to describe someone as foolish or awkward.

'dork' emerged in the 1960s as a slang term in American English, evolving from earlier slang terms for socially awkward individuals.

Initially, it meant 'foolish or awkward person,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.