Riffraff

Origin

The colorful term "riffraff" has roots in medieval French, emerging from the phrase "rif et raf." This expression literally meant "scraps and refuse," or "every single bit," often used to describe sweepings or worthless fragments. Over time, it came to be applied to people considered similarly worthless or contemptible—the dregs of society, those without property or status. The word crossed the Channel into English in the 15th century, retaining its dismissive tone and becoming a vivid, reduplicative way to describe disreputable individuals or the lowest class of people, forever linking its sound to the idea of societal cast-offs.