Scanger
WiktionaryText
Etymology
According to A Dictionary of Hiberno English:
- "Much of the influence comes from London where the origins of the word 'skanger' can be found. I'm pretty certain this is a collapsed form of the word "scavenger" from a West Indian word used by the Caribbean community in London."
Dolan's dictionary gives the West Indian slang word "skanker", meaning an untrustworthy or unreliable person, as a possible source of the word.
Originally, in 1980s Dublin, it referred only to women but has become broadened to men in recent years.
Noun
- A person who is associated with petty criminality and who is seen as strongly identified with brand names in music, clothing, sport, vehicles, and so forth.