Kimberlin means: In Portland, Dorset, England, an outsider; somebody living on the island that wasn't born on the island.. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
kimberlin
(UK, historical) In Portland, Dorset, England, an outsider; somebody living on the island that wasn't born on the island.
Definitions
UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK
(UK, historical) In Portland, Dorset, England, an outsider; somebody living on the island that wasn't born on the island.
Origin: Comes from the days when sailors would stay on the isle of Portland, Dorset, England and visit the Kimberlin Club. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents
Kimberlin means: In Portland, Dorset, England, an outsider; somebody living on the island that wasn't born on the island.. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
For ESL learners
kimberlin means: In Portland, Dorset, England, an outsider; somebody living on the island that wasn't born on the island.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Cluster: body
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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UK
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UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
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Other words near "kimberlin" (K)
kill-the-beggarkill the rabbitkilopoundkilowatt alleyKimKimberKimberlyKimbitkimchikimono sleeveKimyekinchin
Browse all slang words starting with K.
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