English Explanatory Dictionary

rascal

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A dishonest person; a rogue, a scoundrel, a trickster.
  2. A cheeky person or creature; a troublemaker.
  3. A member of a criminal gang.
adj
  1. Low; lowly, part of or belonging to the common rabble.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/ˈɹɑːskl̩/ /ˈɹæskl̩/ en-us-rascal.ogg

Word forms

rascal rascals more rascal most rascal

Etymology

Recorded since c.1330, as Middle English rascaile (“people of the lowest class, rabble of an army”), derived from 12th century Old French rascaille (“outcast, rabble”) (modern French racaille), perhaps from rasque (“mud, filth, scab, dregs”), from Vulgar Latin *rasicō (“to scrape”). The singular form is first attested in 1461; the present extended sense of "low, dishonest person" is from early 1586.

Synonyms

imp mischief-maker scamp scoundrel villain devil

Derived words

berascal fat rascal rascaldom rascaless rascalism rascalize rascallike rascalship rascal stew wraprascal rascality rascally rascalry
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