adjective
ratty
RA-tee
adjective
1
Shabby, worn out, or in poor condition.
"He wore a ratty old sweater around the house."
"The hotel room had a ratty carpet and peeling paint."
2
British informal for irritable or bad-tempered.
"She got ratty with the kids after a long day at work."
How to Use Ratty
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishScruffy and worn-out, or (informally) short-tempered.
Common pairings
ratty old
get ratty with someone
Word Forms
rattier comparative, rattiest superlative
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He wore a _____ old sweater around the house.
Etymology
From rat plus the adjective suffix -y ("having the quality of").