hoodlum
The origin and history of hoodlum.
Etymology
First recorded in an 1866 San Francisco newspaper describing a "Hoodlum Gang" of young thieves; the exact origin is debated, with theories ranging from German dialect words for "ragamuffin" to a garbled gang call.
Class of 1866
hoodlum first entered the language around 1866. Other words from the same year:
See the full Class of 1866 →