ragamuffin
4
8.5
- noun
- /ˈræɡəˌmʌfɪn/
- Archaic
:
mendigo
- The little ragamuffin ran through the park, wearing clothes that were torn and dirty.
- little ragamuffins
Sir Patrick Peastue, your character in Blunt Talk, is a bit of a ragamuffin.
- Sir Patrick Peastue, your character in Blunt Talk, is a bit of a ragamuffin.
Examples
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And that adorable misproportioned ragamuffin must be your son.
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In the 1960s, ubiquitous street urchins in Brazil were referred to with a blend of annoyance and affection as moleques, meaning ragamuffins, scamps, or rascals.
Academic text (1997) -
I want that little ragamuffin off the stage.
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What are you doing in here, you little ragamuffin?
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Bob looked like a ragamuffin.
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MAN: Hey, come back here, you little ragamuffin.
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Oh, it's Nicky's little ragamuffin.
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You and your ragamuffins make yourselves at home.
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The men are dressed fussily, the boy a ragamuffin.
Fiction book (2001) -
Yeah, and don't think I didn't notice you being a tough little ragamuffin.
Synonyms
A person dressed in old, torn, and dirty clothes
How Scruffy
Surface Forms
Etymology
Ragamuffin starts with rag meaning 'a torn piece of cloth' and sounds like muffin, which gives a picture of something small wrapped up, so a helpful way to remember it is a little child wrapped in rags. It began as a name for someone in 'ragged' clothes, which is why today it means a poorly dressed, often dirty child.