varmint
A pestilent or predatory ground-borne animal, especially one that kills or harasses a…A pestilent or predatory ground-borne animal, especially one that kills or harasses a farmer's animals or crops.
Meaning
2 sensesA pestilent or predatory ground-borne animal, especially one that kills or harasses a farmer's animals or crops.
Schädling, Gewürm
вредительvreditelʹ
(broadly)An obnoxious person or troublemaker.
an irritating or obnoxious person
Translations
5 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
Dialectal form of vermin, derived from Latin vermis (“worm”), c. 1530–1540s. Perhaps influDialectal form of vermin, derived from Latin vermis (“worm”), c. 1530–1540s. Perhaps influenced by Latin vargus (“bandit, outlaw, scoundrel”), though the pronunciation in /ɑː(ɹ)/ is more likely due to the same lowering of /ɛr/ > /ar/ found in carve < Middle English kerven and starve < Middle English sterven. The final syllable is probably altered after -ment; compare parchment < Middle English parchemyn.
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