They are the same word. Varmint is a dialect pronunciation of vermin that became a separate word in American English. Vermin is the standard term for destructive or disease-carrying animals; varmint is regional, informal, and usually applied to a single troublesome animal rather than a category.
The core difference
Historically none — one is a variant pronunciation of the other. The two have since drifted apart in use.
- vermin — standard English for pest animals collectively: rats, mice, insects.
- varmint — American regional and informal, typically one specific animal causing trouble.
How one became two
Vermin entered English from Old French vermine, from Latin vermis, a worm. In some dialects the medial consonant shifted, producing varmint — the same process that gave English varsity from university.
The variant travelled to America, stuck in Southern and Western speech, and acquired its own colouring. Because it survived mainly in frontier and rural usage, it now carries a distinctly folksy tone that vermin does not.
Grammar: one is a mass noun
Vermin is normally plural and uncountable — the barn is full of vermin, never a vermin. Varmint is a straightforward count noun: a varmint, three varmints. This is the most practical difference for anyone writing.
Applied to people
Both extend to humans, and the extension is harsher than it may sound. Calling a group vermin is a well-documented feature of dehumanising propaganda, historically preceding violence. Varmint aimed at a person is comparatively mild and often affectionate — a note of exasperation rather than contempt.
Varmint hunting
In American usage the phrase names a specific activity: shooting agricultural pest species such as prairie dogs, groundhogs and coyotes. The associated varmint rifle is a recognised firearm category — small calibre, high velocity, built for accuracy at distance. The word is doing technical work here rather than being merely colourful.
Frequently asked questions
Is varmint the same word as vermin?
Yes. Varmint is a dialect variant of vermin that became established separately in American English, the same way varsity came from university.
Can you say a vermin?
Not normally. Vermin is a mass noun used in the plural. Varmint is a regular count noun, so a varmint is fine.
Is varmint an insult?
Applied to a person it is mild and often affectionate. Vermin is not — used of people it is a documented feature of dehumanising rhetoric.