riffraffish

9.9

Behaving rudely in a way that people see as low class

adjective
/ˈrɪfˌræfɪʃ/

Offensive

: de gentuza

His riffraffish behavior at the party was embarrassing.

Examples

The riffraffish crowd outside the club made me uncomfortable.
Some guests were appalled by the riffraffish conduct of their tablemates at the banquet.
His riffraffish behavior embarrassed everyone at the party.
The teacher warned students not to act in a riffraffish manner during the school trip.
Some guests were appalled by the riffraffish conduct of their tablemates at the banquet.
His riffraffish behavior embarrassed everyone at the party.
The teacher warned students not to act in a riffraffish manner during the school trip.

Antonyms

refined

Formal

25 4.1

Showing elegant, polite manners and good taste

cultured

21 5.1

A person who likes and understands art, music, and books

How Disreputable

sordid

48 7.5

seedy

Informal

27 6.1

riffraffish

Offensive

9.9

vulgar

Offensive

52 6.5

low-class

Offensive

33 4.9

Surface Forms

riffraffish positive

Morphology

riffraffish = riffraff (transparent) = riffraff + ish

The adjective is formed by the productive suffix '-ish' meaning 'like' or 'characteristic of' the noun 'riffraff', so the meaning is directly inferable.

Etymology

Riffraffish comes from the older phrase riff-raff, a rude name for people seen as 'low-class' or 'not respectable', and the ending -ish means 'like', as in foolish. So riffraffish means acting 'like riff-raff', in a rude or badly behaved way.