tatterdemalion
tatterdemalion · tatterdemalions
A person with tattered clothingA person with tattered clothing.
/tætədəˈmeɪliɒn/
Meaning
1 sensesA person with tattered clothing.
More definitions
- a dirty shabbily clothed urchin
Translations
2 languagesOrigin
First attested circa 1608. An early spelling was tatter-de-mallion, rhymed with Italian. TFirst attested circa 1608. An early spelling was tatter-de-mallion, rhymed with Italian. The first part of the word is tatter; the origin of the second part is uncertain; Ebenezer Cobham Brewer suggested it might be from de maillot (“shirt”).
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Forms
plural: tatterdemalions| Singular | tatterdemalion |
|---|---|
| Plural | tatterdemalions |
regular
Synonyms
1 synonymsClose in meaning
- a dirty shabbily clothed urchin:ragamuffin
Word family
1 related wordsDerivedtatterdemalionism