Scanger
Alternative forms
Origin
According to A Dictionary of Hiberno-English
A Dictionary of Hiberno-English by Terence Dolan, Gill & Macmillan, ISBN 0-7171-2942-X
"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 word used by the Caribbean community in London."
Pyjama Party ''The Irish Times, 2006-11-11.
Dolan's dictionary gives the Caribbean English 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.
Full definition of scanger
Noun
scanger
(plural scangers)- (Ireland, pejorative) 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.
Alternative forms
- skanger