hobo

Meaning

Noun

1. A wandering homeless person, especially (historical) one illegally travelling by rail or (derogatory) a penniless, unemployed bum.
2. Any migratory laborer, whether homeless or not.
3. A kind of large handbag.

Verb

To be a hobo, tramp, bum etc.

Synonyms

tramp

vagabond

bum

vagrant

wanderer

bindlestiff

hoodlum

Ishmael

lout

nomad

ragamuffin

rapscallion

rolling stone

scamp

sundowner

swagger

swagman

ragged fellow

capricious person

rascallion

beggar

swaggie

disorderly

dosser

drifter

gamin

homeless

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈhəʊ.bəʊ/

Etymology

Unknown. Possibly a contraction of ho, boy or the dialectal English term hawbuck (“lout, clumsy fellow, country bumpkin”).