varmint

or var·ment

[ vahr-muhnt ]
See synonyms for varmint on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Chiefly Southern and South Midland U.S.

    • an objectionable or undesirable animal, usually predatory, as a coyote or bobcat.

  2. a despicable, obnoxious, or annoying person.

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Origin of varmint

1
1530–40; variant of vermin (with regular outcome of Middle Englishĕr before consonant (cf. argal2, parson) and parasitic t)

Words Nearby varmint

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

How to use varmint in a sentence

  • He was therefore sure of his supper; and the “varmint” was carefully deposited in the corner of the waggon.

    The Hunters' Feast | Mayne Reid
  • Pity we couldn't place a mine to blow 'em to blazes, or have a gun to shoot direct at the varmint.

    The Hero of Panama | F. S. Brereton

British Dictionary definitions for varmint

varmint

/ (ˈvɑːmɪnt) /


noun
  1. informal an irritating or obnoxious person or animal

Origin of varmint

1
C16: dialect variant of varmin vermin

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