Where does “ratbag” come from?

ratbag (English) comes from English rat, from Middle English raat, from Old English ræt, from Old English rætt, from Proto-Germanic rattaz, from Proto-Indo-European Hreh₃d- — to scrape.

ratbag (English): A despicable person; A mischievous person,...

Definitions

  1. A despicable person; A mischievous person,...

Ancestry of “ratbag”, step by step

ratbag traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English rat

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishratA medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus...
2Middle EnglishraatAlternative form of ratte
3Old EnglishrætAlternative form of rætt
4Old Englishrættrat
5Proto-Germanicrattazrat
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanHreh₃d-to scrape

via English bag

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbagA flexible container made of cloth, paper,...
2Middle EnglishbaggeA fabric container; a bag, sack, pouch, purse, or...
3Old Norsebaggibag, pack, satchel, bundle
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰak-—

Words derived from “ratbag”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European Hreh₃d- →Every word from Proto-Germanic rattaz →Every word from Old English rætt →