wretch

== English == === Etymology 1 === From Middle English wrecche, from Old English wreċċa (“exile, outcast”), from Proto-Germanic *wrakjô (“exile, fugitive, warrior”), from Proto-Indo-European *wreg- (“to track, follow”). Doublet of garçon. ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /ɹɛt͡ʃ/ Rhymes: -ɛtʃ Homophone: retch ==== Noun ==== wretch (plural wretches) An unhappy, unfortunate, or miserable person. An unpleasant, annoying, worthless, or despicable person. (archaic) An exile. (Can we add an example for this sense?) ===== Derived terms ===== wretched ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From confusion with the noun. ==== Verb ==== wretch Misspelling of retch. === Further reading === “wretch”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “wretch”, in The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia: […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. “wretch”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “wretch”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.