Where does “ruffian” come from?
Ruffian comes from Middle French rufian, from Italian ruffiano, from Italian roffia, from Old High German hruf, from Proto-Indo-European kreup-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European krew-.
ruffian (English): A scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful,...
Definitions
- A scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful,...
Ancestry of “ruffian”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle French | rufian | — |
| 2 | Italian | ruffiano | pander, procurer, pimp; bootlicker; sycophant |
| 3 | Italian | roffia | scraps of tanned leather |
| 4 | Old High German | hrŭf | eschar, crust |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hreubaz | rough, crusty, scabby |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kreup- | scab, crust |
Words derived from “ruffian”