ragamuffin

• raggamuffin

From the Middle English Ragamuffyn. Of uncertain origin, according to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: A muffin is a poor thing of a creature, a ‘regular muff’; so that a ragamuffin is a sorry creature in rags.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹæɡəˌmʌfɪn/

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ragamuffin (plural ragamuffins)

1. A dirty, shabbily-clothed child; an urchin.
   • c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii], page 71:

     I haue led my rag of Muffins where they are pepper'd: there's not three of my 150 left aliue; and they for the Townes end, to beg during life.

   • 1869, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, “Harvest Time”, in Little Women: […], part second, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, →OCLC, page 348:

     “But may I inquire how you intend to support the establishment? If all the pupils are little ragamuffins, I’m afraid your crop won’t be profitable in a worldly sense, Mrs. Bhaer.”

   • [1877], Anna Sewell, “The Election”, in Black Beauty: […], London: Jarrold and Sons, […], →OCLC, part III, page 206:

     "They called her a little blue raggamuffin, father," said Harry, who ran in, looking very angry; "but I have given it to them, they won't insult my sister again. […]"

   • 1882, Mark Twain, chapter 12, in The Prince and the Pauper:

     'Yes, he is mine—I took him, a homeless little ragamuffin, but I saw what was in him, and I said his name would be heard some day—behold him, observe him—was I right?'

   • 1905, Upton Sinclair, chapter XVIII, in The Jungle, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 26 February 1906, →OCLC:

     After walking a ways, Jurgis met a little ragamuffin whom he hailed: "Hey, sonny!"

   • 1916, John Buchan, chapter 15, in Greenmantle:

     He had found out the house of Frau von Einem without much trouble, and had performed with his ragamuffins in the servants' quarters.

   • 1984, Douglas Adams, chapter 21, in So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), page 112:

     A boy of the cheery gypsy ragamuffin variety.

   • 2013 December 19, Peter Kimpton, “Readers recommend: songs about smuggling and stealing – results”, in The Guardian‎, →ISSN:

     It features other small ones—a bunch of Dickensian ragamuffins and their leader played by Ron Moody in Oliver!—You've Got to Pick a Pocket Or Two.

2. (slang) A hooligan or troublemaker.
3. Alternative letter-case form of Ragamuffin (“breed of domestic cat”)

Currently this word is slang, often (but not always) used either for anachronistic effect or as dialogue in historical fiction.

• ragamuffinly

• in rags

• Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “ragamuffin”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
• Jonathon Green (2024) “ragamuffin n.”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang

• raggamuffin

Borrowed from English ragamuffin.

• IPA^(key): /ra.ɡaˈmaf.fin/
• Rhymes: -affin
• Hyphenation: ra‧ga‧mùf‧fin

ragamuffin m (uncountable)

1. (music) ragga

   Synonyms: raga, ragga

• ragamuffin in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
• ragamuffin in Dizionario Italiano Olivetti, Olivetti Media Communication