Raffish
/ˈɹæfɪʃ/ adj
adj ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Characterized by careless unconventionality; rakish.
"Billie Eilish wants you to know she is in charge, brash and self-assured enough to scrap the raffish image that helped garner her a world of fans in favor of something a little more … adult."
- 2 Low-class; disreputable; vulgar.
"I had met the man before this in the village, and detested him on sight; there was something indescribably raffish in his looks and ways that raised my gorge; […]"
Adjective
- 1 marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness wordnet
- 2 marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners wordnet
Example
More examples"He was a good-looking but somewhat raffish young gentleman."
Etymology
From late 18th century raff (“persons among the lowest class in society”) + -ish, still retained in contemporary English with riffraff. From Old French raffer (“to wear away”), of Germanic origin. Compare German raffen. Compare rip (“to tear”), rap (“to snatch”).