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ruffian
[ ruhf-ee-uhn, ruhf-yuhn ]
/ ˈrʌf i ən, ˈrʌf yən /
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noun
a tough, lawless person; roughneck; bully.
adjective
Also ruf·fi·an·ly. tough; lawless; brutal.
OTHER WORDS FOR ruffian
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Origin of ruffian
Words nearby ruffian
rufescent, ruff, ruffe, ruffed, ruffed grouse, ruffian, ruffianism, Ruffini's corpuscle, ruffle, ruffled, ruffler
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use ruffian in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for ruffian
ruffian
/ (ˈrʌfɪən) /
noun
a violent or lawless person; hoodlum or villain
Derived forms of ruffian
ruffianism, nounruffianly, adjectiveWord Origin for ruffian
C16: from Old French rufien, from Italian ruffiano, perhaps related to Langobardic hruf scurf, scabbiness
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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