Tatterdemalion: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Tatterdemalion noun. A person in ragged, tattered clothes.
How to say it
tat-uh-duh-MAY-lee-un/ˌtatədɪˈmeɪlɪən/
6 syllables, stressed on the fourth (MAY).
Meanings
- A person in ragged, tattered clothes.
- As an adjective, ragged, shabby or run-down.
Tatterdemalion in a sentence
A tatterdemalion with a fiddle played outside the station every morning.
The pub's tatterdemalion armchairs were somehow comfier than new ones.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- ragamuffin
- scarecrow
- vagabond
Where tatterdemalion comes from
From the early 1600s, from tatter plus a fanciful ending of unknown origin.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The pub's _____ armchairs were somehow comfier than new ones.
- wherewithal
- jackanapes
- tatterdemalion
Show the answer
tatterdemalion: The pub's tatterdemalion armchairs were somehow comfier than new ones.