scalawag

English

Alternative forms

• scallawag, scalliwag, scallywag

Etymology

Of obscure origin, perhaps from the name of the Shetland village of Scalloway (from Old Norse Skálavágr), known for its dwarf ponies and dwarf cattle.

Noun

scalawag (plural scalawags)

1. (pejorative, archaic) A scrawny cow.
2. (pejorative, archaic) A rascal.
3. (pejorative, US, archaic or historical) Any white Southerner who supported the federal plan of Reconstruction after the American Civil War or who joined with the black freedmen and the carpetbaggers in support of Republican Party policies.

Derived terms

• scally, scallie

References

• scalawag at Merriam Webster Online
• Encylcopedia Britanica - scalawag