scalawag
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
Of obscure origin, perhaps from the name of the Shetland village of Scalloway (from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Norse Skálavágr), known for its dwarf ponies and dwarf cattle.
Noun
scalawag (plural scalawags)
- (derogatory, archaic) A scrawny cow.
- (derogatory, archaic) A rascal.
- (derogatory, 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
References
- scalawag at Merriam Webster Online
- Encylcopedia Britanica - scalawag