ne'er-do-well

noun

: an idle worthless person
ne'er-do-well adjective

Word History

First Known Use

1736, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ne'er-do-well was in 1736

Dictionary Entries Near ne'er-do-well

Cite this Entry

“Ne'er-do-well.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ne%27er-do-well. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

ne'er-do-well

noun
ˈne(ə)r-du̇-ˌwel,
ˈna(ə)r-
: an idle worthless person
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