Where does “ruffian” come from?
ruffian (French) comes from Italian ruffiano, from Italian roffia, from Old High German hrŭf, from Proto-Germanic hreubaz, from Proto-Indo-European kreup- — scab, crust.
ruffian (French): Alternative spelling of rufian
Definitions
- Alternative spelling of rufian
Ancestry of “ruffian”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Italian | ruffiano | pander, procurer, pimp; bootlicker; sycophant |
| 2 | Italian | roffia | scraps of tanned leather |
| 3 | Old High German | hrŭf | eschar, crust |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hreubaz | rough, crusty, scabby |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kreup- | scab, crust |