What does "larrikin" mean?
A young, brash, and impertinent, and possibly violent, troublemaker, especially one who is a gang member; a hooligan.
Larrikin
/ˈlæɹɪk(ɪ)n/ adj, noun, slang
adj, noun, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A young, brash, and impertinent, and possibly violent, troublemaker, especially one who is a gang member; a hooligan.
- Grammar: larrikin is listed as adj, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: lad.
- Usage evidence: To keep me out of trouble I was sent to the wood-gang Cascade an out station about two miles from headquarters. On arriving at this place the following dialogue passed between me and the overseer: […] "A bit of a larrikin, T——, but it won't do here, you know." "No odds about that—what's the work?"
How to use "larrikin"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "larrikin" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "larrikin" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "larrikin" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "larrikin" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "larrikin" is acting as adj, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "lad" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "larrikin", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A young, brash, and impertinent, and possibly violent, troublemaker, especially one who is a gang member; a hooligan. Australia, New-Zealand, historical, slang
"To keep me out of trouble I was sent to the wood-gang Cascade an out station about two miles from headquarters. On arriving at this place the following dialogue passed between me and the overseer: […] "A bit of a larrikin, T——, but it won't do here, you know." "No odds about that—what's the work?""
- 2 A high-spirited person who playfully rebels against authority and conventional norms; a maverick or scamp. Australia, broadly, slang
"On all occasions Captain Smith's military character was good, though he was always a bit of a larrikin, and had a way of practical joking."
Adjective
- 1 Exhibiting the behaviour or characteristics of a larrikin (noun sense).; Of or relating to, or behaving like, a hooligan; hooliganistic, thuggish. Australia, historical, slang
"Hoping my letter will have the desired effect of removing the larrikin nuisance especially in such a central portion of the town, […]"
- 2 Exhibiting the behaviour or characteristics of a larrikin (noun sense).; Playfully rebellious against and contemptuous of authority and convention; maverick. Australia, broadly, slang
"Mungo [Wentworth] MacCallum is hardly typecast as the chronicler of the story of what has gone right and wrong about the business of immigration, regular and irregular, to this country but this most larrikin and cold-eyed of one-time Canberra chroniclers brings to this story all his wit and dryness and power of mind."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"To keep me out of trouble I was sent to the wood-gang Cascade an out station about two miles from headquarters. On arriving at this place the following dialogue passed between me and the overseer: […] "A bit of a larrikin, T——, but it won't do here, you know." "No odds about that—what's the work?""
Common questions
What is a synonym for "larrikin"?
Common synonyms include: lad.
How do you use "larrikin" in a sentence?
To keep me out of trouble I was sent to the wood-gang Cascade an out station about two miles from headquarters. On arriving at this place the following dialogue passed between me and the overseer: […] "A bit of a larrikin, T——, but it won't do here, you know." "No odds about that—what's the work?"
How do you pronounce "larrikin"?
Pronounced /ˈlæɹɪk(ɪ)n/.
Etymology
Origin uncertain, possibly from *larick (Northern England) (an unattested variant of lark (“bird of the family Alaudidae; frolic or romp, some fun; prank; (East Suffolk, obsolete) unruly or wild person”, noun), from laverock (“(chiefly Northern England, Scotland, archaic) lark (bird)”); compare the variant forms lairock, larrock (chiefly Northern England), larick, larrick (chiefly Scotland)) + -kin (diminutive suffix). However, the Oxford English Dictionary notes that it is not clear why a word attested in the West Midlands (particularly Warwickshire and Worcestershire) and in Southwest England (Cornwall) would be derived from a word from Northern England. Other suggestions include the following: * The word is an Irish policeman’s pronunciation of larking (“engaging in careless adventure, frolicking; engaging in harmless pranking, sporting”), heard by a reporter in a Melbourne police court around 1870. The Oxford English Dictionary states there is no evidence of such an incident having been reported in the local newspapers of the time, and that in any case the word is attested earlier in Cornwall, England (since the early 19th century), and in Australia (at least from 1867: see the quotation). * The first element of the word is from the name of an unknown Irishman named Larry. The adjective is from an attributive use of the noun.