noun

rogue

ROHG

noun

A dishonest or unprincipled person; a scoundrel.

"The old con man was a lovable rogue who never quite went straight."

"She warned her daughter about the charming rogue at the bar."

adj

Acting outside normal or expected controls, often in a dangerous or unpredictable way.

"A rogue wave capsized the small fishing boat."

"The company blamed the leak on a rogue employee."

How to Use Rogue

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a dishonest character, or something (a wave, a state, a program) that has broken loose from normal control and become unpredictable or dangerous.

Common mistake

In gaming, "rogue" also names a stealth-focused character class — a specialized sense distinct from the everyday meaning of scoundrel.

Common pairings

rogue state rogue wave rogue trader go rogue

Word Forms

more rogue comparative, rogued past tense, rogues plural, Rogues plural, rogues singular, most rogue superlative

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The old con man was a lovable _____ who never quite went straight.

Etymology

Origin disputed — possibly from an older English word for a wandering beggar who posed as a poor scholar, itself perhaps from Latin rogare ("to ask, beg"); or from a French word meaning "arrogant, haughty".

Rhymes for rogue

rue due sue cue hue Que yue Vue Xue blue true flue

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