Definition of RUFFIAN

ruffian

Plural: ruffians

Noun

  • A brutal, lawless, or violent person, often a thug.
  • a cruel and brutal fellow
  • A scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful, brutal and unreliable person.
  • A pimp; a pander.
  • A lover; a paramour.

Verb

  • To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult.

Adj

  • Brutal, cruel, ruffianlikes.

Examples

  • His aggressive tile-blocking strategy made him seem like a Scrabble RUFFIAN.
  • ruffian rage

Origin / Etymology

From Middle French rufian, from Italian ruffiano (“pimp”).

Synonyms

bully, hooligan, roughneck, rowdy, tough, yob, yobbo, yobo, abbot, agitator, bad boy, bad news, bear, bhoy, blackguard, bludger, booger, boot boy, bovver boy, brat, brawler, breedbate, buffoon, bugger, charva, cock-bawd, cutup, dalaal, devil, elf, enfant terrible, firebrand, fishmonger, flashman, fleshmonger, gadfly, hell-raiser, hood, hoodlum, hool, hoolie, hoon, hothead, hustler, imp, inciter, initiator, instigator, jackanapes, joker, jokester, kindle-coal, kindle-fire, knave, lout, mack, mack daddy, mackerel, makebate, minx, mischief, mischief-maker, miscreant, muttonmonger, ne'er-do-well, nookie-bookie, pandar, pimp, pixie, pot stirrer, practical joker, prankster, puck, pussymonger, rabble rouser, rakeshame, rantipole, rapscallion, rascal, rogue, roly-poly, ruffian, scamp, scapegrace, scoundrel, shit disturber, shit-stirrer, shitmonger, souteneur, sweetman, tearaway, thug, titivil, troublemaker, undesirable, vandal, wag, wagpastie, whoreman, whoremaster, whoremonger, wrangler

Scrabble Score: 13

ruffian: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
ruffian: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
ruffian: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 15

ruffian: valid Words With Friends Word