gamin

[ gam-in ]

noun

1. a neglected boy left to run about the streets; street urchin.

gamin

/ ˈɡæmɪn; ɡamɛ̃ /

noun

1. a street urchin; waif

Word History and Origins

Origin of gamin¹

From French, dating back to 1830–40, originally boy assisting a glassblower, young boy; of uncertain origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of gamin¹

from French

Example Sentences

The door is opened by Ms. Etienne, 75 — a wry, sinewy woman with a gamin haircut.

From New York Times

By the end of the night, her gamin crop is plastered to her forehead with sweat; her smile is a little dazed, as if she isn’t quite sure what just happened.

From New York Times

While the start-up costs are expensive - each gamin station, which includes a desktop, chair, keyboard and mouse, in the Lackawanna College facility costs around $3,000 - there’s little transportation costs involved.

From Washington Times

Ms. Hearn was a gamin performance artist turned art dealer with an audacious eye; she started out in the East Village in the early 1980s, before landing in Chelsea.

From New York Times

The opening paragraph read, “Those gamin dandies, the zoot suiters, having learned a great moral lesson from servicemen, mostly sailors, who took over their instruction three days ago, are staying home nights.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• child
• kid
• little one
• young one
• youngster
• youth