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

A blind BBC reporter managed to stop a mugger from stealing his mobile phone by "instinctively" leaping on them.

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2022

But only in the movies does the karate student always succeed in beating up the bully or the mugger.

From The Guardian • Oct. 1, 2020

I won't fight a mugger because I'm scared of what he'd do to me, so I walk away.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2019

When he rushes to the aid of what he thinks is a damsel in distress, he finds a mugger uttering high-pitched screams, the woman who’s just pepper-sprayed him standing calmly at his side.

From Slate • Apr. 2, 2019

“He can call in the police, the army and the secret service. If he says ‘boo,’ a mugger at the other end of the city drops a wallet.”

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

• assailant
• thief
• thug