scalawag

noun

scal·​a·​wag ˈska-li-ˌwag How to pronounce scalawag (audio)
variants or scallywag
1
2
: a white Southerner acting in support of the reconstruction governments after the American Civil War often for private gain

Examples of scalawag in a Sentence

a scalawag who had taken to begging on street corners while posing as a blind person
Recent Examples on the Web The large cast, costumed and made up as a fitly scalawags and sinister buccaneers, gives tremendous energy to every scene. Kirk Honeycutt, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 July 2023 Chadha-Patel is ambiguously charming as a scalawag not entirely out for himself. cleveland, 1 Dec. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scalawag.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

circa 1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scalawag was circa 1848

Dictionary Entries Near scalawag

Cite this Entry

“Scalawag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scalawag. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

scalawag

noun
scal·​a·​wag
variants or scallywag
ˈskal-i-ˌwag
1
2
: a white Southerner acting as a Republican in the time of reconstruction after the American Civil War

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