arrant

UK: ˈærənt | US: ˈærənt

Definition

  1. adj. (of something bad) complete, utter (used for emphasis)

  2. adj. notorious; unmitigated (archaic)

Structure
arr <variant of "errant">ant <adjective suffix>arr <variant of "errant">ant <adjective suffix>
Etymology

The word arrant began as a variant of errant (from Old French errant, "wandering"), applied to knights who roamed freely. By the 16th century, it shifted to mean "notorious" or "thoroughly bad," likely because such wanderers were sometimes seen as vagabonds or rogues. The modern sense of "complete" (e.g., arrant nonsense) retains this emphatic negativity.

Examples

  1. That’s arrant nonsense—don’t believe a word of it.

  2. The politician’s arrant hypocrisy shocked the public.

  3. In medieval tales, arrant knights were often portrayed as reckless.

  4. His arrant laziness cost him the job.

  5. The scheme was an arrant fraud from the start.