rascal

noun

ras·​cal ˈra-skəl 

1

: a mean, unprincipled, or dishonest person

2

: a mischievous person or animal

rascal adjective

Synonyms

• devil
• hellion
• imp
• mischief
• monkey
• rapscallion
• rogue
• scamp
• urchin

Examples of rascal in a Sentence

Which one of you rascals woke me up?

Recent Examples on the Web

Orange cats have earned an online reputation for being chaotic, energetic rascals. —Gayoung Lee, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Dec. 2024

Eventually, Sergei — now going by Kraven — begins knocking off a growing list of poachers, corporate rascals and international kingpins. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Dec. 2024

Yep, this little rascal figured out how to twist and press the hose to interrupt Mary’s shower time. —Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 4 Dec. 2024

Reynolds thrived in front of a live studio audience, playing a college-age rascal who was more interested in messing with his friends and pursuing harebrained schemes than deciding on a major. —Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 2 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English rascaile, rascaille, borrowed from Anglo-French rascaille, rascail "rabble," from rasc- (perhaps from Old French —Norman and Picard— *rasquer "to scratch, scrape," going back to Vulgar Latin *rāsicāre) + -aille, collective suffix, going back to Latin -ālia — more at rash entry 1, -al entry 2

Note: Though this etymology works semantically (cf., for example, the sense development of English scum, Russian svoloč'), it is unclear if *rasquer is a possible outcome of *rāsicāre in Norman/Picard. Note that the word is exclusively Anglo-Norman in earlier Medieval French (from the twelfth century), from which it appears to have penetrated into other dialects (see Französisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, vol. 10, pp. 88-89).

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

rascal

noun

ras·​cal ˈras-kəl 

1

: a mean or dishonest person

2

: a mischievous person