gamin

noun

gam·​in ˈga-mən How to pronounce gamin (audio)
1
: a boy who hangs around on the streets : urchin
2

Examples of gamin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The door is opened by Ms. Etienne, 75 — a wry, sinewy woman with a gamin haircut. Ben Brantley, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2019 Liliane Montevecchi, a glittering French gamin who became a cabaret star in Paris, a pal of Marlon Brando’s in Hollywood, and the Tony Award-winning ‘‘muse’’ of director Tommy Tune on Broadway, died June 29 at her home in Manhattan. Washington Post, BostonGlobe.com, 6 July 2018 The gamin Bujold plays the enchanting Coquelicot with whom Bates falls in love. Susan King, latimes.com, 8 Mar. 2018 A kooky young woman works her gamin charm on a Paris arrondissement in this new musical written by Craig Lucas, Daniel Messé and Nathan Tysen, directed by Pam MacKinnon and adapted from Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s beloved 2001 film. Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2017 This musical about a French gamin finding love, adapted by Craig Lucas, Daniel Messé and Nathan Tysen from the Jean-Pierre Jeunet movie, will steal its final garden gnome. Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 18 May 2017 This musical about a French gamin finding love, adapted by Craig Lucas, Daniel Messé and Nathan Tysen from the Jean-Pierre Jeunet movie, steals its final garden gnome. Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 11 May 2017 That French movie, which grossed $174 million and turned Audrey Tautou, its gamin-pixie star, into an international... Edward Rothstein, WSJ, 5 Apr. 2017

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, earlier, "glassmaker's assistant, young boy," of obscure origin

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gamin was in 1832

Dictionary Entries Near gamin

Cite this Entry

“Gamin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gamin. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

gamin

noun
gam·​in ˈgam-ən How to pronounce gamin (audio)
1
: an often poor boy who spends much of his time on the streets
2

More from Merriam-Webster on gamin

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!