noun
hoodlum
HOOD-luhm
noun
1
A violent or lawless young troublemaker; a small-time thug.
"A gang of hoodlums smashed the shop window."
"He was arrested as a teenage hoodlum for vandalism."
How to Use Hoodlum
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn informal word for a young thug or petty criminal.
When to use it
Somewhat dated and informal — "thug" or "delinquent" are more neutral modern alternatives.
Word Forms
hoodlums plural
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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.