A member of the Beat Generation (late 50's - early 60's), a nonconformist in dress and thought. Often reknowned for wearing black turtleneck sweaters, stove-pipe trousers, dark glasses and berets. They used to hang out at coffee shops where they would recite poetry (sometimes accompanied by bongo drums), and talk about jazz or the people/society/regimes that are oppressing them and trying to make them conform.
"Oh, man! Ned spilled ink all over my poems. He's a real flat tire, I mean a cube, man. He's putting us on the train to Squaresville" - Ned Flanders' beatnik father

"I'm really diggin' this jaaaazz, maaan! This cat is really hip! Far out daddy-o!" (clicks his fingers repeatedly)

by burnin4tor February 23, 2007
Get the beatnik mug.
Basically the original, almost forgotten incarnation of the modern day hipster.

People think that hipsters are a new thing, but in reality have been around for years, the only difference is that a modern hipster mixes the beatnik style with indie, scene or emo.

They were a subculture of (mostly wealthy) young people in the 1950's that drank coffee, enjoyed art and music, wrote poetry, did psychedelic drugs, and smoked cigarettes. Practiced minimalism, and were very, very political. Men wore berets with striped shirts and sandals, and the women wore berets, little black dresses and scarves.

Would say slang things like "That's beat" and "daddy-O".
The dirty beatnik played bongo drums while reciting his own poetry at the poetry bar.
by California Bae Area December 30, 2016
Get the Beatnik mug.
cool 50's youth culture. Wore berets and polo necks. Hung out in coffee shops playing bongos and reciting poetry and experimenting with marijuana.Pre-dates the hippie movement by about 10-15 years.
Alen Ginsberg and Jack Keruoac were beatniks. Man, they were some cool cats!
by loco weed April 24, 2003
Get the beatnik mug.
vintage life-stylists who like the jazz poetry coffee shoppe scene and anything pertaining to the beatnik era
Beatniks don't clap, they snap
by $ally August 2, 2007
Get the beatniks mug.
Jazz hippies in berets.
"Like. . . .wow daddio." Beatnik speak.
by Rawrleet August 26, 2006
Get the beatnik mug.
a 50's group of young men after the war looking for atction and excitement, created art and roamed around countries looking for truth, were taught by zen Buddhist, ate Bacon Egg and Cheese sandwhiches. they were, as Cassidy would say "It". Their poetry often resembles Rimbaud, Blake and Whitman.
Ginsberg, Kerouac, Burroughs, Huncke and Cassidy headed for San fransico with a napsack and a thumb.
by marcu$ July 26, 2004
Get the Beatnik mug.
A conformist to the Beats. They irritated Jack Kerouac (founder of the beats) to the point where he said he hated them.
"I am not a beatnik, I am a Roman Catholic." - Jack Kerouac
by Anthony April 11, 2004
Get the beatnik mug.