ribald

Meanings

Plural: ribalds

Noun

a ribald person; someone who uses vulgar and offensive language
A person who is filthy or vulgar in nature.

Adjective Satellite

humorously vulgar
- "ribald language"

Adj

Coarsely, vulgarly, or lewdly amusing; referring to sexual matters in a rude or irreverent way.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English ribald, from Old French ribaud, ribauld (“rogue, scoundrel”) ( > English ribaud), from Old French riber (“to be licentious”), from Frankish *rīban (“to copulate, be in heat”, literally “to rub”), from Proto-Germanic *wrībaną (“to turn, twist, writhe”), from Proto-Indo-European *werp-, *werb- (“to turn, twist”) + Old French -aud, from Frankish *-wald.
Related to Old High German rīban (“to rub”), German reiben (“to rub”), Dutch wrijven (“to rub”). Compare also Old High German hrība (“prostitute”). See also English wrap.

Synonyms

bawdy, off-color

Scrabble Score: 9

ribald is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
ribald is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
ribald is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 11

ribald is a valid Words With Friends word