mugger

¹ American  

[muhg-er] / ˈmʌg ər /

noun

1. a person who mugs, especially one who assaults a person in order to rob them.

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mugger ² American  

[muhg-er] / ˈmʌg ər /

Or muggar,

noun

1. a broad-snouted crocodile, Crocodylus palustris, of southern Asia, that grows to a length of about 16 feet (4.88 meters).

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mugger ¹ British  

/ ˈmʌɡə /

noun

1. informal a person who commits robbery with violence, esp in the street

2. a person who overacts

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mugger ² British  

/ ˈmʌɡə /

noun

1. Also called: marsh crocodile.  a large freshwater crocodile, Crocodylus niloticus, inhabiting marshes and pools of India and Ceylon

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Etymology

Origin of mugger¹

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65; mug + -er ¹

Origin of mugger²

First recorded in 1835–45, mugger is from the Hindi word magar

Example Sentences

First, he maneuvered his food truck to cut off the mugger; then he jumped out to confront the man.

From Los Angeles Times

He said that he was a friend of Mrs. Elliott’s daughter Kari McCabe, and that muggers had stolen his money and a term paper he had written about the criminal justice system.

From New York Times

Even the alleys looked inviting, with adult-sized nutcrackers casually loitering there instead of the usual muggers.

From Salon

But political and civic leaders see the provocative masks as a public safety hazard that emboldens both petty thieves and armed muggers to fearlessly defy the law.

From Washington Times

It continues by advising travellers to be vigilant for pickpockets and muggers, to limit headphone and mobile phone use in public, to be mindful of alcohol consumption and to keep a low profile.

From BBC

Related Words

• assailant
• thief
• thug