hood rat

noun

plural hood rats
African American English slang, often disparaging + offensive
: a person who lives in or comes from an inner-city or impoverished neighborhood and exhibits behavior stereotypically associated with such a neighborhood
especially : a woman from such a neighborhood who is sexually promiscuous
sometimes used before another noun
hood rat behavior

Word History

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hood rat was in 1992

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hood rat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hood%20rat. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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