varmint

or var·ment

[vahr-muh nt]

See more synonyms for varmint on Thesaurus.com

noun

Chiefly Southern and South Midland U.S.
1. vermin.
2. an objectionable or undesirable animal, usually predatory, as a coyote or bobcat.
a despicable, obnoxious, or annoying person.

Origin of varmint

1530–40; variant of vermin (with regular outcome of Middle Englishĕr before consonant (cf. argal³, parson) and parasitic t)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for varmint

liar, swindler, wretch, scoundrel, bum, pig, monster, creature, woman, individual, soul, fellow, person, animal, man, critter, pet, beast, ruffian, tough

Examples from the Web for varmint

Contemporary Examples of varmint

Across the wilderness I once shot a varmint in the wilderness!
Mitt Romney Finds the Funny in ‘America the Beautiful’ (VIDEO)
Mark Katz
February 10, 2012

Historical Examples of varmint

I'd just like to look along the barrels of my gun at the varmint, as Jim calls him.
With Trapper Jim in the North Woods
Lawrence J. Leslie
I object, if you're meaning to tackle the varmint alone and single-handed, Phil!
Phil Bradley's Mountain Boys
Silas K. Boone
I saw the critter when I was on the island—more'n that, the varmint chased me.
Frank Merriwell's Cruise
Burt L. Standish
A white man "cried" me off just like I was a animal or varmint or something.
Slave Narratives, Oklahoma
Various
Knowing only that he was "varmint" I endeavoured to kill him quickly with a spade.
Ranching, Sport and Travel
Thomas Carson

British Dictionary definitions for varmint

varmint

noun

informal an irritating or obnoxious person or animal

Word Origin for varmint

C16: dialect variant of varmin vermin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for varmint

1530s, chiefly American English dialectal variant of vermin. Meaning "objectionable or troublesome person" is recorded from 1773.