miscreant
pronunciation
How to pronounce miscreant in British English:
UK [ˈmɪskriənt]
How to pronounce miscreant in American English:
US [ˈmɪskriənt]
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- Noun:
- a person without moral scruples
Word Origin
- miscreant
- miscreant: see creed
- miscreant (adj.)
- c. 1300, "non-Christian, pagan, infidel;" early 15c., "heretical, unbelieving," from Old French mescreant "disbelieving" (Modern French mécréant), from mes- "wrongly" (see mis- (2)) + creant, present participle of creire "believe," from Latin credere (see credo). Meaning "villainous" is from 1590s.
- miscreant (n.)
- late 14c., "heathen, Saracen," from miscreant (adj.) or from Old French mescreant, which also had a noun sense of "infidel, pagan, heretic." Sense of "villain" first recorded 1590 in Spenser.
Example
- 1. Like every practiced school miscreant , he has an excuse for everything .
- 2. There is no obvious means to force a miscreant out , since euro membership is designed to be irrevocable .
- 3. In contrast , panama has not budged , reinforcing its reputation as latin america 's leading financial miscreant .
- 4. Both parties are full of miscreant mps ; but labour has borne the brunt of the public 's fury .
- 5. Mr ouattara has promised there will be no impunity for any miscreant , his own forces included .