noun

ragamuffin

RAG-uh-muf-in

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Ragamuffin (noun) means a scruffy, dirty child in torn clothes. Example: “Three little ragamuffins were kicking a ball around the yard.”

noun

A scruffy, dirty child in torn clothes.

"Three little ragamuffins were kicking a ball around the yard."

"She came home a ragamuffin, mud to the knees and a sleeve half off."

A breed of large, long-haired domestic cat with a docile temperament, closely related to the Ragdoll.

"Their Ragamuffin sleeps on the radiator all day."

also spelled ragga, raggamuffin A style of Jamaican dancehall music with rapped or chanted vocals over digital rhythms, and a performer of it.

"The set closed with a ragamuffin track from the late eighties."

How to use ragamuffin

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA messy, badly dressed child.

When to use it

Affectionate rather than cruel when used of children, and slightly old-fashioned. The music and cat-breed senses are usually capitalised or spelled ragga / Ragamuffin respectively.

Memory tip

Used of an adult it sounds jokey; used of a child it usually sounds fond.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

ruffian → ragga → Ragdoll

Common pairings

little ragamuffin band of ragamuffins Ragamuffin cat

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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Can you complete this real example?

Three little _____ were kicking a ball around the yard.

Etymology

Recorded in Middle English as Ragamuffyn, the name of a demon in Piers Plowman, and associated from early on with rag in the sense of a tattered garment. The second element is of uncertain origin.

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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urchin waif guttersnipe scruff ragga tatterdemalion

Related words

orphan guttersnipe ragga scruff tatterdemalion urchin waif porker

Rhymes for ragamuffin

puffin muffin

See all rhymes for ragamuffin →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a ragamuffin and a ruffian?

A ragamuffin is simply scruffy and poorly dressed, and the word carries no suggestion of bad behaviour. A ruffian is violent or thuggish. The two are often confused because they sound alike and both suggest the rough end of the street.

What is the difference between a Ragamuffin cat and a Ragdoll?

They share ancestry and both are large, placid, semi-longhaired cats. Ragdolls are restricted to pointed colour patterns with blue eyes, while Ragamuffins are accepted in a much wider range of colours and eye colours.

What is the meaning of ragamuffin?

"ragamuffin" (noun) means a scruffy, dirty child in torn clothes.

What is another word for ragamuffin?

Other words for "ragamuffin" include urchin, waif, guttersnipe, scruff, tatterdemalion, ragga.

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orphan guttersnipe ragga scruff tatterdemalion urchin waif porker