fakir

fa·kir

noun

Definition of FAKIR

1

\fə-ˈkir, fä-, fa-; ˈfā-kər\ a : a Muslim mendicant : dervish b : an itinerant Hindu ascetic or wonder-worker

2

\ˈfā-kər\ : impostor; especially : swindler

Examples of FAKIR

1. <a traveling carnival that was run by fakirs preying on small-town rubes>
2. <a fakir peddling patent medicines that were mostly liquor and sugar>

Origin of FAKIR

Arabic faqīr, literally, poor man

First Known Use: 1609

Related to FAKIR

Synonyms: bilk, bilker, cheat, cheater, chiseler (or chiseller), confidence man, cozener, defrauder, dodger, trickster, finagler, fraudster [chiefly British], hoaxer, scammer, scamster, shark, sharper, sharpie (or sharpy), skinner, swindler, tricker

Related Words: double-crosser, double-dealer; bluffer, charlatan, fake, faker, humbug, impostor (or imposter), mountebank, phony (also phoney), pretender, quack, quacksalver, ringer, sham; adventurer, fox, gamesman, knave, prankster, rascal, rogue; fast-talker, slick, slicker, slickster, slyboots, smoothy (or smoothie), wheeler-dealer; plotter, schemer, sneak, sneaker; blackleg, cardsharp (or cardsharper)

Near Antonyms: ace, adept, authority, crackerjack (also crackajack), expert, maestro, master, past master, professional, virtuoso, whiz, wizard

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Rhymes with FAKIR

acre, baker, breaker, faker, laker, maker, nacre, quaker, raker, saker, shaker, taker, waker