hoodlum
[ hood-luh m, hoo d- ]
/ ˈhud ləm, ˈhʊd- /
noun
a thug or gangster.
a young street ruffian, especially one belonging to a gang.
Origin of hoodlum
1870–75,
Americanism; probably < dialectal German; compare Swabian derivatives of
Hudel rag, e.g.
hudelum disorderly,
hudellam weak, slack
Hudellump(e) rags, slovenly, careless person, and related words in other dialects
OTHER WORDS FROM hoodlum
hood·lum·ish, adjective hood·lum·ism, nounWords nearby hoodlum
hooded seal,
hooded top,
hooded warbler,
hoodia,
hoodie,
hoodlum,
hoodman-blind,
hoodoo,
hoodooism,
hoodwink,
hooey
Example sentences from the Web for hoodlum
British Dictionary definitions for hoodlum
hoodlum
/ (ˈhuːdləm) /
noun
a petty gangster or ruffian
a lawless youth
Derived forms of hoodlum
hoodlumism, nounWord Origin for hoodlum
C19: perhaps from Southern German dialect
Haderlump ragged good-for-nothing