scoundrel
/ˈskaʊ̯ndɹəl/ noun
Forms scoundrels
Synonyms
antimodel bad guy baddie bastard beggar blackguard bounder cad cockatrice coistril evildoer fustilarian harlot heavy knave lidderon makeshift miscreant ne'er-do-well niding villain
Etymology
From earlier scondrel, scondrell, skoundrell, skowndrell, of unknown origin. Possibly related to northern English or Scottish scunner, skuner, scouner, scunder (“to shrink back in fear, disgust, or loathing”) (Encyclopædia Britannica 1911).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A mean, worthless fellow; a rascal; a villain; a man without honor or virtue.
- adjective Low; base; mean; unprincipled.
Etymology [Probably from Prov. E. & Scotch scunner, scouner, to loathe, to disgust, akin to AS. scunian to shun. See Shun.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “scoundrel”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details