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varmint

Etymology and origin of the English word varmint

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈvɑːmɪnt/ (UK); /ˈvɑɹmɪnt/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is a dialect variant of vermin,[2][3][4][5][6] first recorded as varment,[3][4][6] with the regular change of er to ar before a consonant and an added t.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Vermin, troublesome animals (1539, as varment).[3][4][5]

Semantic evolution

The transferred sense of an objectionable or troublesome person is recorded from 1773.[4] The spelling varmint dates from 1829, in American dialect,[3][4] and the word is now chiefly Southern and South Midland in the United States.[6]

Timeline

  • 1539 – varment, vermin.[3][4][5]
  • 1773 – a troublesome person.[4]
  • 1829 – the spelling varmint, American dialect.[3][4]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. (chiefly US dialect) An animal regarded as a pest, especially a predatory one such as a coyote.
  2. An obnoxious or troublesome person; a rascal.
  • vermin

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c d Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
Cite this entry

“Varmint.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/varmint. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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