spalpeen

[ spal-peen, spal-peen ]
/ spælˈpin, ˈspæl pin /

noun Irish English.

a lad or boy.
a rascal; scamp.

Origin of spalpeen

1770–80; < Irish spailpín seasonal hired laborer, rude person, scamp, equivalent to spailp spell, bout, turn + -ín noun suffix

Example sentences from the Web for spalpeen

British Dictionary definitions for spalpeen

spalpeen
/ (ˈspælpiːn) /

noun Irish

an itinerant seasonal labourer
a rascal or layabout

Word Origin for spalpeen

C18: from Irish Gaelic spailpín itinerant labourer