Funky vs. Funk — What's the Difference?

Unconventional and stylistic.

Related to fear or panic (archaic).

Characterized by creativity and originality.

A music genre characterized by groovy beats and rhythmic influences.

Vibrantly quirky and unusual.

Used to describe something that is intensely emotional or has depth.

Having a strong, musty smell.

A state of depression or avoidance.

Fashionably cool and engaging.

An intense, emotional style of music and performance.

Frightened; panicky.

Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of soul, jazz, and rhythm and blues (R&B). It de-emphasizes melody and chord progressions and focuses on a strong rhythmic groove of a bassline played by an electric bassist and a drum part played by a percussionist, often at slower tempos than other popular music.

Having a moldy or musty smell

A state of great fear or panic

Having a strong, unpleasant odor, especially the odor of the unwashed human body

A coward

Having a style reminiscent of simple blues; bluesy.

A style of popular dance music of US black origin, based on elements of blues and soul and having a strong rhythm that typically accentuates the first beat in the bar

Of or relating to funk music.

A strong musty smell of sweat or tobacco

Hearty and simple

Avoid (something) out of fear

Having an unsophisticated or old-fashioned charm; quaint or unpretentious

Give music elements of funk

Unconventional or eccentric; offbeat or odd

A strong, usually unpleasant smell; reek.

Offbeat, unconventional or eccentric.

A hearty or earthy quality appreciated in music such as jazz or soul.

Not quite right; of questionable quality; not appropriate to the context.

A type of popular music combining elements of jazz, blues, and soul and characterized by syncopated rhythm and a heavy, repetitive bassline.

Cool; great; excellent.

(Slang) An unsophisticated quality or atmosphere of a region or locality

Having a foul or unpleasant smell.

A state of cowardly fright; a panic.

(music) Relating to or reminiscent of various genres of African American music, especially funk.

A state of severe depression.

Relating to, or characterized by, great fear, or funking.

A cowardly, fearful person.

Pertaining to, or characterized by, great fear, or funking; having great fear.

To shrink from in fright or dread.

Having an earthy, unsophisticated style or feeling;

To be afraid of.

Offensively malodorous;

To shrink in fright.

(of jazz) having the soulful feeling of early blues

(countable) Foul or unpleasant smell, especially body odor.

In a state of cowardly fright

A style of music derived from 1960s soul music, with elements of rock and other styles, characterized by a prominent bass guitar, dance-friendly sound, a strong emphasis on the downbeat, and much syncopation.

(obsolete) Touchwood, punk, tinder.

(countable) Mental depression.

(uncountable) A state of fear or panic, especially cowardly.

(countable) One who fears or panics; a coward.

(intransitive) To emit an offensive smell; to stink.

(transitive) To envelop with an offensive smell or smoke.

(ambitransitive) To shrink from, or avoid something because of fear.

(transitive) To frighten; to cause to flinch.

An offensive smell; a stench.

One who funks; a shirk; a coward.

A state of fear.

A mildly depressed state of mind; - often used in the phrase blue funk.

An earthy, seemingly unsophisticated style of jazz music having elements of black American blues and gospel.

A shrinking back through fear.

To envelop with an offensive smell or smoke.

To funk at; to flinch at; to shrink from (a thing or person); as, to funk a task.

To frighten; to cause to flinch.

To emit an offensive smell; to stink.

To be frightened, and shrink back; to flinch; as, to funk at the edge of a precipice.

A state of nervous depression;

United States biochemist (born in Poland) who showed that several diseases were caused by dietary deficiencies and who coined the term `vitamin' for the chemicals involved (1884-1967)

Draw back, as with fear or pain;

Yes, funky can sometimes refer to unpleasant odors or something that is oddly off-putting.

Something is considered funky if it exhibits unconventional, quirky, or creative traits that stand out in fashion, style, or general appearance.

No, funky is used broadly across various contexts including fashion, design, and even certain smells, not limited to music.

It typically means they are in a low, depressive, or withdrawn emotional state.

Key elements include a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums, emphasis on the downbeat, and layers of varied instrumentation.

Funk focuses on a strong rhythmic groove, unlike many other genres that might emphasize melody or harmony more.

Funk was integral to the development of the 1970s disco movement and had a significant influence on modern hip-hop.

They might prefer it for its boldness, individuality, and expressive qualities that stand out from conventional styles.

Funk music originated in the mid-1960s in the United States, blending elements of soul, jazz, and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable form.

Originally associated primarily with strong odors, funky has evolved to have broader positive connotations of uniqueness and trendiness.

It's often used to describe something that is interestingly different or fashionably unusual.

Absolutely, despite its origins and some connotations, funk music is often uplifting and energetic, designed to make people dance.

The terms overlap when describing the emotional expressiveness and depth in music, though funky has broader applications.

Funk music maintains a dedicated fan base and influences contemporary music, though it's not as dominant as it once was.

Yes, in the context of music, funk is often celebrated for its upbeat, soulful, and rhythmic qualities that inspire joy and dancing.