skarminkel

Afrikaans

Alternative forms

• skermunkel (rare)

Etymology

From Dutch scharminkel (“scrag, scrawny creature or object”), probably semantically influenced by an obsolete sense like “demon” or “skeleton”, from Middle Dutch scheminkel, from older siminkel (“monkey, ape”), ultimately from Late Latin *simiunculus or its feminine form, from simius (“monkey”), or alternatively from Middle Dutch simme with a Dutch diminutive.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌskarˈməŋ.kəl/

Noun

skarminkel (plural skarminkels)

1. A rogue, a scoundrel.

   Hy's 'n regte skarminkel! ― He's a veritable scoundrel!