rapscallion

/ɹæpˈskæljən/

//ɹæpˈskæljən// noun

"rapscallion" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“rapscallion” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A rascal, scamp, rogue, or scoundrel.

Corpus desk

Index EN-rapscallion · rapscallion · English

rapscallion · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "R" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for rapscallion
PropertyValue
Headwordrapscallion
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹæpˈskæljən/
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “rapscallion” in English

rapscallionfalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

rapscallion is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ɹæpˈskæljən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A rascal, scamp, rogue, or scoundrel.".

rapscallion has no tracked misspelling variants, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From an alteration of rascallion, a fanciful elaboration of rascal (“someone who is naughty”). The correct English form is rapscallion, spelled R-A-P-S-C-A-L-L-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A rascal, scamp, rogue, or scoundrel.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how rapscallion appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. “If I get away I sha’n’t be here,” I says, “to prove these rapscallions ain’t your uncles, and I couldn’t do it if I was here. I could swear they was beats and bummers, that’s all, though that’s worth something.
  2. She was the sister who had remained within the pale; I, the rapscallion of a brother whose vagaries were trying to his relations.

Etymology

From an alteration of rascallion, a fanciful elaboration of rascal (“someone who is naughty”).

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "rapscallion"?
"rapscallion" is spelled R-A-P-S-C-A-L-L-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹæpˈskæljən/.
What does "rapscallion" mean?
As a noun, "rapscallion" means: A rascal, scamp, rogue, or scoundrel.
How do you pronounce "rapscallion"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rapscallion" is /ɹæpˈskæljən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "rapscallion"?
From an alteration of rascallion, a fanciful elaboration of rascal (“someone who is naughty”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list