noun
gamin
GAM-uhn/ˈɡæmən/
A mischievous, streetwise child with a ragged charm.
The grinning gamin balances cleverly on the curb along the busy street.
Etymology
French gamin already meant a street urchin, supplying the image of a streetwise child. Its suggested connection with dialectal gamer, “to steal,” is only a possibility.
More examples
- Two barefoot gamins darted through the market, laughing at their own tricks.
- She plays a cheeky gamin who survives by her wits.
- The gamin tipped his battered cap and offered to show us a shortcut.
Forms
gamin · gamins