larrikin

== English == === Alternative forms === larikin, larrykin === 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. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈlæɹɪk(ɪ)n/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈlɛɹəkən/ (General Australian) IPA(key): /ˈlæɹək(ə)n/ Hyphenation: lar‧ri‧kin === Noun === larrikin (plural larrikins) (Australia, New Zealand, slang, historical) A young, brash, and impertinent, and possibly violent, troublemaker, especially one who is a gang member; a hooligan. Synonyms: (Australia, archaic) larry, (Australia, archaic) lary Coordinate term: donah (by extension, Australia, slang) A high-spirited person who playfully rebels against authority and conventional norms; a maverick or scamp. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:maverick ==== Derived terms ==== larrikiness (archaic) larrikinish larrikinism larry, lary (archaic) ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== === Adjective === larrikin (comparative more larrikin, superlative most larrikin) (Australia, slang) Exhibiting the behaviour or characteristics of a larrikin (noun sense). (historical) Of or relating to, or behaving like, a hooligan; hooliganistic, thuggish. (by extension) Playfully rebellious against and contemptuous of authority and convention; maverick. ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === larrikin on Wikipedia.Wikipedia W. S. Ramson, editor (1988), “larrikin”, in The Australian National Dictionary: A Dictionary of Australianisms on Historical Principles, Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 361. Frederick Ludowyk, Bruce Moore, editors (2007), “larrikin, n.”, in The Australian Modern Oxford Dictionary, 3rd edition, Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 468, column 1. Melissa Bellanta (April 2013), “The Leary Larrikin”, in Ozwords‎[2], volume 22, number 1, Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press in partnership with the Australian National Dictionary Centre, Australian National University, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 27 December 2023, pages 1–3.