raffish

[ raf-ish ]

adjective

1. mildly or sometimes engagingly disreputable or nonconformist:

   a matinee idol whose raffish offstage behavior amused millions.

   Synonyms: scampish, picaresque, devilish, rascally, prankish, waggish, roguish

2. gaudily vulgar or cheap; tawdry.

   Synonyms: inelegant, tasteless, loud, gaudy, garish, flamboyant, flashy, showy, tawdry, gimcrack, tinsel, cheap, tacky, vulgar, crass

   Antonyms: understated, reserved, quiet, plain, simple, high-class, classy, refined, elegant, tasteful

raffish

/ ˈræfɪʃ /

adjective

1. careless or unconventional in dress, manners, etc; rakish
2. tawdry; flashy; vulgar

Derived Forms

• ˈraffishness, noun
• ˈraffishly, adverb

Other Words From

• raffish·ly adverb
• raffish·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of raffish¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; raff + -ish ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of raffish¹

C19: see raff

Example Sentences

Visiting him in his room at the raffish Chelsea Hotel, I noticed that there was a crumpled cigarette package under the bed.

From The Daily Beast

If they could do that, need they ever have shot that raffish old lord—I beg pardon, my dear—your highly respected grandfather?

From Project Gutenberg

Although the raffish peer denied all complicity, he did not come out of the business too well.

From Project Gutenberg

I was getting as bad as Renner—looking lecherously at the raffish display of shapely leg as the blond bombshell beat it.

From Project Gutenberg

But the muslin curtains, tied back with raffish pink bows, had really worried her most of all.

From Project Gutenberg

Raffish party too, spy and conspirator persuasion, that sort of thing.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bohemian
• disreputable
• jaunty
• rakish