rotter

[rot-er]

noun

Chiefly British Slang.

1. a thoroughly bad, worthless, or objectionable person.

rotter

/ ˈrɒtə /

noun

1. slang,  a worthless, unpleasant, or despicable person

Word History and Origins

Origin of rotter¹

First recorded in 1890–95; rot + -er ¹

Example Sentences

The problem is, in true EastEnders fashion, the under-threat fellas have been a right bunch of rotters towards the women of the Square.

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Mirror Group's barrister, Andrew Green KC, accepted there were some investigators who broke the law - "rotters" as he called them several times.

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Prince Harry's barrister David Sherborne criticised Mr Green for repeatedly describing private investigators who had been convicted of criminal offences as "rotters".

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Some of that is embodied by accomplished performers — Danny Huston is always good as an eloquent rotter — but there isn’t much intrigue or conviction.

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As everyone who’s hunted or cultivated oyster mushrooms knows, they are wood rotters that are among the first creatures to take a crack at dead trees.

Read more on Scientific American