Ruffian
/ˈrʌf.i.ən/noun
A violent, lawless, or rough person.
Did you know?English got ruffian through French from Italian ruffiano, a term for a pimp or procurer, and the word’s older story is tangled with street life, vice, and public shame.
Etymological Timeline
Late Latin
LL
ruffa
“A coarse or shaggy garment or covering; later linked in Romance development to a swaggering, rough character”
Medieval Italian
It
ruffiano
“A pimp, procurer, or go-between; a disreputable person”
Old French
OF
ruffian
“A pimp, bully, or violent rogue”
16th Century
English
ruffian
“A violent, brutal man; a scoundrel”
Modern English
English
ruffian
“A violent, lawless, or rough person”