guttersnipe

[ guht-er-snahyp ]

noun

1. a person belonging to or characteristic of the lowest social group in a city.
2. a street urchin.

guttersnipe

/ ˈɡʌtəˌsnaɪp /

noun

1. a child who spends most of his time in the streets, esp in a slum area
2. a person regarded as having the behaviour, morals, etc, of one brought up in squalor

Derived Forms

• ˈgutterˌsnipish, adjective

Other Words From

• gutter·snipish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of guttersnipe¹

First recorded in 1855–60; gutter + snipe

Word History and Origins

Origin of guttersnipe¹

C19: originally a name applied to the common snipe (the bird), then to a person who gathered refuse from gutters in city streets

Example Sentences

In the past, words or phrases deemed to have stepped over the line include "impertinent dog", "cad", "blethering", "guttersnipe" and "git".

From BBC

The website of Britain’s Parliament lists several other words that have, in the long history of vituperation in the House of Commons, led to objections: “blackguard, coward, git, guttersnipe, hooligan, rat, swine, stool pigeon and traitor” — most of which were probably last uttered a couple of centuries back.

From Washington Post

By this juncture, the only thing we know for sure is that Ferrara, bless his guttersnipe soul, is still bracingly, adamantly himself.

From New York Times

“What are we going to do,” the queen despaired, “about my sister’s guttersnipe life?”

From Washington Post

Voters who declared themselves undecided in pre-debate interviews with The Washington Post emerged from Tuesday’s 90-minute schoolyard melee with some more clarity about their choice, but mainly with overwhelming sadness and disappointment over the candidates’ guttersnipe manners and unseemly language.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• homeless person
• unhoused person