canaille
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of canaille
1670–80; < French < Italian canaglia pack of dogs, equivalent to can ( e ) dog (< Latin canis ) + -aglia collective suffix
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.
He knew nothing of that silent middle class that struggled between genteel poverty and the impossible desire of emulating the golden canaille to which he himself belonged.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
"Regard me simply in the light of a son who wishes to bury his father, and who is prevented from fulfilling that most sacred duty by the wickedness and malice of the canaille."
From Regina or the Sins of the Fathers by Hermann Sudermann
The canaille that had crouched for a century seemed in some unaccountable way to be changing its posture!
From The Red Cockade by Stanley John Weyman
"I didn't know that honest men were canaille," retorted Elina, flushing with anger; "I thought no one was ever called by that name but villains and rascals."
From San-Cravate; or, The Messengers; Little Streams by Charles Paul de Kock
Mount, brother, mount, or we shall have the whole rustic canaille upon us in a twinkling.” p. 135I did as he commanded: we were presently in the road which we had left the night before.
From The Bible in Spain Vol. 1 [of 2] by George Henry Borrow
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