Picaro
/piˈka.ɾo/noun
A rogue, rascal, or adventurer who survives by cleverness and deception.
Did you know?Picaro comes from Spanish picaresque culture, where the trickster outsider became a literary archetype for exposing hypocrisy, corruption, and the illusion of respectability.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
Spanish
pícaro
“a rogue, rascal, or petty criminal”
16th Century
Spanish
picaresca
“the way of life or style associated with rogues”
16th Century
Spanish
picaresque
“relating to rogue-like fiction or behavior”
17th Century
English
picaro
“a rogue or adventurer, especially in literature”
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