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From Japaneseオタク(otaku, “animeobsessive, geek”) originally used in reference to the 1982 Macross fandom, from the honorific form お宅(otaku, “you”), from the honorific form 宅(taku, “home”).
Though the word came to be used in Western countries primarily to denote people who have a strong or obsessive interest in anime and manga, in Japanese it is used more broadly to denote people who are obsessed and interested with or have a heavy interest in any specific topic, theme or hobby. Compared to the term's use in English, when used in Japanese, it more often has derogatory connotations, particularly in its unqualified use.
First recorded in 1992: from Japaneseオタク(otaku, “nerd, geek”), from お宅(otaku, honorific for “you”), originally the honorific version of 宅(taku, “home”).