ruffian

Meaning

Noun

1. A scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful, brutal and unreliable person.
2. (obsolete) A pimp; a pander.
3. (obsolete) A lover; a paramour.

Verb

To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult.

Adj

Brutal; cruel; savagely boisterous; murderous.

Synonyms

hooligan

rowdy

hoodlum

bully

villain

🦹‍♂️

thug

rascal

scoundrel

brawler

tough

rogue

gangster

brute

knave

bandit

yob

roughneck

bestial

lout

troublemaker

vagabond

desperado

hood

yobbo

apache

rioter

yobo

playboy

rascals

riff-raff

robber

rough

ruffianly

scamp

swaggerer

thief

tramp

trouble maker

troubler

vandal

wandering

yegg

bad fellow

suspicious fellow

out-law

wicked man

desperados

bad egg

cruel rough person

bad hat

bad lot

badmash

beastly

blighter

boor

brigand

brutal

brutish

buffoon

criminal

crook

culprit

delinquent

disturber

evildoer

good-for-nothing

goon

heckler

hellion

knaves

lager lout

loafer

ne’er-do-well

outlaw

panderer

Hyphenated as

ruf‧fi‧an

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɹʌfi.ən/

Etymology

From Middle French rufian, from Italian ruffiano (“pimp”).