Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A fan of heavy metal music.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun One who dances by violently shaking the head in time to the music.
  • noun by extension one who enjoys heavy metal rock music, to which this sort of dance is usually performed.
  • noun A mad or eccentric person.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • In part I object to such terminology on the personal grounds that I don't like being called a headbanger for liking grammar schools and moaning about absence of Tory support for NI's grammar schools.

    Orderly Transition? Praguetory 2007

  • If he grew up in your small town he would be known as headbanger, but John Martyn was more that that he was a gift of one.

    Old Hat 2009

  • The "headbanger" arrived in a police van and wasted little time in earning his nickname.

    The Globe and Mail - Home RSS feed Kirk Makin 2011

  • It came moments before she managed the impressive 'headbanger' spin just five weeks into the contest, a move dreaded by even professional skaters.

    Home | Mail Online 2010

  • It came moments before she managed the impressive 'headbanger' spin just five weeks into the contest, a move dreaded by even professional skaters.

    Home | Mail Online 2010

  • The former Emmerdale star revealed that she was terrified about the "headbanger", which involves her partner Daniel Whiston swinging her up and down from her ankles.

    All - Digital Spy - Entertainment and Media News 2010

  • You drive around in a hot rod with flame decals and fight off enemies with your guitar tricks and recruit as your soldiers "headbanger" miners who crack rocks with their own heads.

    VentureBeat 2009

  • "headbanger" who has played with numerous bands including the Finnish power metal group

    China Post Online - Taiwan , News , Taiwan newspaper 2010

  • ((Auman)) is the latest group worth hearing in the local headbanger scene.

    January's best new music from across the MAP 2011

  • In defiance of local mores, he listened to KISS and Metallica "I was a total headbanger" or sat in theaters watching "Friday the 13th" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street."

    The Virtuoso of Blood and Guts Steve Oney 2011

Comments

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  • The Wikipedia entry on headbanging is absolutely hilarious. It lists 18 headbanging styles ("the bjorkman"), which can be combined with seven different "stances".

    October 17, 2007

  • Can it be more annoying that the Wikipedia Entry for fish stamps?

    October 17, 2007

  • Ha! It "is not uncommon for some to receive headaches from headbanging."

    October 17, 2007

  • I can't figure out why it doesn't cite any references or sources!

    October 17, 2007

  • headbanger is not legal to play in scrabbble but headbanging is

    October 23, 2012