arrant

[ ar-uhnt ]
See synonyms for arrant on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. downright; thorough; unmitigated; notorious: an arrant fool.

  2. wandering; errant.

Origin of arrant

1
1350–1400; Middle English, variant of errant

Other words for arrant

Other words from arrant

  • ar·rant·ly, adverb

Words that may be confused with arrant

Words Nearby arrant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use arrant in a sentence

  • Few people know that large numbers of the splendid seamen who man our North Sea fishing fleets are arrant Cockneys.

    The Chequers | James Runciman
  • Knowing Pemberton to be an arrant coward at heart, bully as he was, he did not fear a renewal of the subject from him.

    Alone | Marion Harland
  • I wish I could say you are a brave man; but you are an arrant coward: you, the soldier that plans to capture women.

    A Little Union Scout | Joel Chandler Harris
  • There are some things so absolutely satisfying that it seems an arrant sacrilege to be discontent and want for more.

  • "You'll see that he'll come back an arrant puppy," quoth Michael Howe.

    Town Versus Country | Mary Russell Mitford

British Dictionary definitions for arrant

arrant

/ (ˈærənt) /


adjective
  1. utter; out-and-out: an arrant fool

Origin of arrant

1
C14: a variant of errant (wandering, vagabond); sense developed from its frequent use in phrases like arrant thief (hence: notorious)

Derived forms of arrant

  • arrantly, adverb

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