Ragamuffin
/ˈræɡ.əˌmʌf.ɪn/noun
A ragged, shabby, or dirty child or person, especially one who is poor or poorly dressed.
Did you know?The word first appears in the 14th century as a term of abuse, and the second half may be related to an old word for a grimy, untidy person — language once used it like a verbal curse.
Etymological Timeline
14th Century
English
ragamuffin
“A contemptuous term for a ragged or dirty person, especially a poor one.”
Middle English
English
ragge
“Rag; tattered cloth.”
Middle English
English
muffe
“A slovenly or dirty person; a fool or simpleton (probable source of the second element).”
Early Modern English
English
ragamuffin
“A ragged, shabby person, especially a poor child.”
Modern English
English
ragamuffin
“A shabby, dirty, or poorly dressed person, especially a child.”