English Explanatory Dictionary

riffraff

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The rabble; crowds; people of a low, disreputable or undesirable class or position.
  2. Sweepings; refuse.

Pronunciation

/ˈɹɪfɹæf/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-riffraff.wav

Word forms

riffraff riffraffs riff-raff

Etymology

From Old French rif et raf (“one and all”), of Germanic origin. The first word is from rifler (“to scrape off”) and the last is from raffler, related to rafler (“to plunder”).

Synonyms

canaille commonality commonalty crowd demos everyone general public great unhosed great unwashed herd hoi polloi lower class many masses mob multitude odds and sods peasantry plebs populace proletariat rabble rank and file riffraff third estate trash unwashed unwashed masses working class

Related words

raffish

Derived words

riffraffish riff-raffy
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