scoundrel — a dishonest or unscrupulous person; a rogue
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a dishonest or unscrupulous person; a rogue
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈskaʊndrəl/
Example Sentences
- The old scoundrel sold me a broken phone and disappeared!
- Don't trust him - he's a complete scoundrel who lies about everything.
- My cat is such a scoundrel - he steals food from other cats!
scoundrel
NOUN[/ˈskaʊndrəl/]
a dishonest or unscrupulous person; a rogue
Dishonest man stealing from elderly woman
Scoun drills for dishonest thrills — what a scoundrel!
Once a scoundrel, now a foundrel
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Italian 'scoundrel' derived from 'scoundro' or related to Italian 'scontrare' (to encounter/clash). The word entered English in the 16th century, likely through Italian mercenary or trading communities, originally referring to a disreputable person or vagabond.
Breakdown
The word does not have a productive morpheme breakdown in English. It came into English as a complete borrowed word from Italian, with no prefix, root, or suffix components that are independently meaningful in English morphology.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The old scoundrel sold me a broken phone and disappeared!”
“Don't trust him - he's a complete scoundrel who lies about everything.”
“My cat is such a scoundrel - he steals food from other cats!”
“The scoundrel pretended to be a prince to win her heart.”
📚Related Words
Want to master 27,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.