hooligan

[ hoo-li-guhn ]
See synonyms for: hooliganhooliganism on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a ruffian or hoodlum.

adjective
  1. of or like hooligans.

Origin of hooligan

1
First recorded in 1895–1900; perhaps after the Irish surname Hooligan, but corroborating evidence is lacking

Other words from hooligan

  • hoo·li·gan·ism, noun

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How to use hooligan in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hooligan

hooligan

/ (ˈhuːlɪɡən) /


noun
  1. slang a rough lawless young person

Origin of hooligan

1
C19: perhaps variant of Houlihan, Irish surname

Derived forms of hooligan

  • hooliganism, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012