ragamuffin — a person, typically a child, in ragged dirty clothes
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a person, typically a child, in ragged dirty clothes
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈræɡəˌmʌfɪn/
Example Sentences
- Despite being a ragamuffin, Tom had the brightest smile in the neighborhood.
- My cat looks like a ragamuffin after playing in the mud all day.
- The teacher had a soft spot for ragamuffins and always kept extra snacks.
ragamuffin
NOUN[/ˈræɡəˌmʌfɪn/]
a person, typically a child, in ragged dirty clothes
A child in ragged dirty clothes
The ragamuffin dreams of muffins while the puffin watches from above
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Ragamuffin emerged in the 14th century as a blend of Middle English 'ragged' (meaning tattered or worn) and 'muffin' (a term for an unkempt or awkward person). Originally used to describe beggars and vagabonds, the word has evolved to affectionately denote disheveled or poorly dressed children.
Breakdown
ragged (tattered, worn) + muffin (unkempt person). The compound combines an adjective describing worn clothing with a noun characterizing a disreputable individual, creating a term for raggedly dressed persons.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Despite being a ragamuffin, Tom had the brightest smile in the neighborhood.”
“My cat looks like a ragamuffin after playing in the mud all day.”
“The teacher had a soft spot for ragamuffins and always kept extra snacks.”
“After the food fight, all the students looked like ragamuffins.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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