phud
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A Doctor of Philosophy (a PhD degree).
Register: derogatory, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
The only reason for there being a second class of scientists is that the chances are good they'll spend their whole lives studying and never get a phud.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A holder of a PhD degree, especially one in academia or seen as out of touch.
Register: derogatory, slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “phud” mean?
A Doctor of Philosophy (a PhD degree).
Is “phud” formal or informal?
phud is generally derogatory, slang.