Rapscallion / noun / rap·​scal·​lion

Have you ever known a person who is always getting themselves into trouble? The proper name for this kind of person is rapscallion.

A rapscallion is a troublemaker, also defined as a scallywag or villain. We know rapscallions for their bad behavior. We’ve been using the word to describe people with mischievous or despicable behavior with this spelling since the late 16th century.

Rapscallions are the undesirables of society that cause immediate concern upon their arrival in most social situations.

In a Sentence

The rapscallions broke into their rival’s high school overnight and stole the opposing team’s trophy.

They blamed the vandalism of the new mural on the teenage rapscallions who lived in the neighborhood.

The sly rapscallion evaded police arrest by hiding at a friend’s house until they called off the search.

Etymology

We relate rapscallion to the word “rascal” that we’ve used since the 15th century. Rapscallion has changed its name at least twice since it entered our language in the 15th century. It started out as the word rascal and eventually changed to racallion. The term we use today as rapscallion is the latest version of the word we created in 1648 to describe troublemakers and scoundrels.

Synonym

Scoundrel, Scamp

Antonym

Angel, Innocent