Scalawag

Alternative forms

• scallywag, scallawag

Origin

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.

Full definition of scalawag

Noun

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