different between ruffian vs sbirro

English

Etymology

From Middle French rufian, from Italian ruffiano (“pimp”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???fi.?n/
• Hyphenation: ruf?fi?an

Noun

ruffian (plural ruffians)

1. A scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful, brutal and unreliable person.

   Synonyms: rogue, scamp; see also Thesaurus:troublemaker
2. (obsolete) A pimp; a pander.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:pimp

3. (obsolete) A lover; a paramour.
   • 1621, John Reynolds, The Triumphs of God's Revenge against the crying and execrable Sinne of Murther

     He [her husband] is no sooner abroad than she is instantly at home, revelling with her ruffians.

Translations

Verb

ruffian (third-person singular simple present ruffians, present participle ruffianing, simple past and past participle ruffianed)

1. To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult.
   • 1603, Shakespeare, Othello, Act II, Scene I

     Methinks the wind does speak aloud at land; A fuller blast ne'er shook our battlements. If it hath ruffianed so upon the sea.

Adjective

ruffian (comparative more ruffian, superlative most ruffian)

1. Brutal; cruel; savagely boisterous; murderous.

   ruffian rage

Anagrams

• funfair

French

Noun

ruffian m (plural ruffians)

1. Alternative spelling of rufian
   • 1943, Jean Ray, Malpertuis, 1978 ed., p. 8

     Il n'y a que la fortune pour faire d'un ruffian un honnête homme, soumis aux lois humaines.

Further reading

• “ruffian” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology

From Italian sbirro; compare French sbire.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /spi?o?/

Noun

sbirro (plural sbirros or sbirri)

1. A policeman in Italy, Corsica, etc.
2. A ruffian or henchman.

Anagrams

• Borris

Italian

Etymology

From s- +? birro, the latter from Latin birrus (“hooded coat”), related to burrus (“reddish; red-headed”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?zbir.ro/

Noun

sbirro m (plural sbirri)

1. cop (policeman)

Derived terms

• sbirresco

Descendants

• ? English: sbirro
• ? Romanian: zbir

Anagrams

• sborri

Further reading

• sbirro in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana