rapscallion

noun

rap·​scal·​lion rap-ˈskal-yən 

plural rapscallions

: a person who causes trouble : rascal, ne'er-do-well

If a little prince with a permissive nanny can get bumptious on occasion, a regal rapscallion without any nanny could fast become a royal pain.

—People Weekly

The kidnapper is none other than the nefarious Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman), who still hasn't gotten over the loss of his hand. That rapscallion Peter Pan is to blame, and Hook will have his revenge.

—Nora Lee

Growing up, my best friends were my siblings. While we fought like only brother and sisters could fight, I was quick to defend their honor, or protect them from the rapscallion of our childhood world.

—Stephanie Hill

Did you know?

The word rascal has been part of English since the 15th century, but it apparently failed to fully capture the disagreeable nature of the wily knaves of yore: by the 16th century, English speakers had expanded rascal to rascallion. But it seems that even that term didn’t sound quite mischievous enough. Eventually, rascallion was further altered, resulting in the snappier, plosive-enhanced rapscallion, which is still commonly used as a synonym for varlet, scoundrel, and rogue. And although rapscallion has zero connection with scallion, it does add a figuratively spicy kick to one’s speech, not unlike chawbacon and other cheeky insults that may be of interest and use.

Synonyms

• baddie
• baddy
• beast
• brute
• caitiff
• devil
• evildoer
• fiend
• heavy
• hound
• knave
• meanie
• meany
• miscreant
• monster
• nazi
• no-good
• rascal
• reprobate
• rogue
• savage
• scalawag
• scallywag
• scamp
• scapegrace
• scoundrel
• varlet
• villain
• wretch

Examples of rapscallion in a Sentence

the city's run-down waterfront was occupied mostly by disreputable places frequented by drunkards and rapscallions

that little rapscallion kept hiding my shoes and making me go look for them

Recent Examples on the Web

Ever since her husband died from a bee sting, the matriarch has smoothly guided her octet of rapscallions through proposals, scandals, and balloon disasters. —Devon Ivie, Vulture, 14 June 2024

Renée Zellweger is set to return as the lovable but flailing at life Jones as is Hugh Grant as rapscallion Daniel Cleaver. —Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024

Klay, that other young rapscallion, is Kyle’s assistant quarterbacks coach with the Niners. —Joe Nguyen, The Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2024

Devers’s list also includes Harlond Clift, who with a name like that couldn’t have been a ballplayer, but an actor who, oh, probably portrayed a rapscallion of a love interest for Bette Davis in a series of 1930s films. —Chad Finn, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Apr. 2023

That rapscallion Demna Gvasalia has done it again. —Vulture, 6 July 2022

View Photos As an out-and-out rapscallion, the quiet-riot GLI ridicules ostensibly more sporting machinery. —Larry Griffin, Car and Driver, 15 Mar. 2023

This jaunty rapscallion is one of nine built, and competed in the Mille Miglia only five days after it was delivered. —Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 12 Aug. 2022

Top Stories Not so long ago, Montana rapscallion Stu Long’s pursuit of venal success would have been sold as a redemption story. —Armond White, National Review, 20 Apr. 2022

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier rascallion, irregular from rascal

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

rapscallion

noun

rap·​scal·​lion rap-ˈskal-yən 

: rascal