Roguish
/ˈroʊɡɪʃ/noun
Playfully dishonest, mischievous, or charmingly disreputable.
Did you know?Rogue is tied to the same old French root as words for wandering and movement, which is why the word carries that restless, untamed energy of someone who won’t stay in place.
Etymological Timeline
Late 16th Century
English
roguish
“Having the behavior or character of a rogue; mischievous, knavish, or disreputable.”
Late Middle English
English
rogue
“A dishonest, unprincipled person; later also a vagrant beggar or idle, lawless fellow.”
16th Century
French
rogue
“Arrogant, haughty, or insolent.”
Unknown / disputed
Old French
rogue
“Likely connected to a term for a beggar or vagrant, though the exact origin is uncertain.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*reg-
“To move in a straight line, direct, or guide; the broader root behind several words of movement and order.”