ruffian
Americannoun
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
- ruffianism noun
- ruffianly adjective
Etymology
Origin of ruffian
1525–35; < Middle French < Italian ruffiano, perhaps < Langobardic *hruf scurf + Italian -ano -an
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Those ruffians are in jail, thanks to you. They never saw it coming.”
From Literature
“While Joaquin was undoubtedly motivated in part by his mistreatment at the hands of American ruffians, a significant reason was his thirst for gold.”
“Good Boy,” by Jan Komasa, has an arresting star turn by Anson Boon as a ruffian who gets chained up in a rich family’s cellar until he agrees to behave.
From Los Angeles Times
The trial heard him described as a "ruffian" and a "street waif" who never stood still.
From BBC
Chickadees may be portrayed as radiating tranquil beauty on holiday cards, but realistically, these loud, round ruffians are tough survivors of harsh winter environments in northern latitudes.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
