varmint

or var·ment

[ vahr-muhnt ]

noun

1. Chiefly Southern and South Midland U.S.
   1. vermin.
   2. an objectionable or undesirable animal, usually predatory, as a coyote or bobcat.
2. a despicable, obnoxious, or annoying person.

varmint

/ ˈvɑːmɪnt /

noun

1. informal.
   an irritating or obnoxious person or animal

Word History and Origins

Origin of varmint¹

1530–40; variant of vermin (with regular outcome of Middle English ĕr before consonant ( argal ², parson ) and parasitic t )

Word History and Origins

Origin of varmint¹

C16: dialect variant of varmin vermin

Example Sentences

The smell from the outdoor shed and the home “were emitting odors associated with organic matter that are attracting varmints and black bears,” Garcia wrote.

From Los Angeles Times

The varmints here are faster, meaner and thirstier than any gunslinger you’d expect to meet in a dusty saloon.

From Seattle Times

Despite the cumbersome rubber suit, he must express a varmint’s essence through a profound nonverbal interpretation, exuding a sense of great strength while broadcasting pure emotion.

From Los Angeles Times

How did a creature despised as a pest and a varmint, whose slaughter was once cheered and officially rewarded by California, become a darling and an icon?

From Los Angeles Times

His governing philosophy is spelled out on a prominently displayed poster that shows a lifeless varmint on a stretch of asphalt.

From New York Times

Related Words

• animal
• critter
• fellow
• individual
• living thing
• man
• person
• soul
• woman