Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One who behaves badly, often by breaking rules of conduct or the law.
  • noun Archaic One who does not believe in a certain religion; an infidel or heretic.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Misbelieving; unbelieving; infidel.
  • Vile; detestable.
  • noun An unbeliever; a misbeliever.
  • noun A vile wretch; a scoundrel; a detestable villain.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun obsolete One who holds a false religious faith; a misbeliever.
  • noun One not restrained by Christian principles; an unscrupulous villain; a depraved person; a vile wretch.
  • adjective Holding a false religious faith.
  • adjective Destitute of conscience; unscrupulous; villainous; base; depraved.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Lacking in conscience or moral principles; unscrupulous.
  • adjective theology Holding an incorrect religious belief.
  • noun One who has behaved badly, or illegally.
  • noun One not restrained by moral principles; an unscrupulous villain.
  • noun theology One who holds an incorrect religious belief; an unbeliever.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a person without moral scruples

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English miscreaunt, heretic, from Old French mescreant, present participle of mescroire, to disbelieve : mes-, wrongly, not; see mis– + croire, to believe (from Latin crēdere; see kerd- in Indo-European roots).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French mescreant (1080) "mis-believer", present participle of mescroire "to misbelieve" (modern mécroire).

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Examples

  • On the other hand if the miscreant is 26 feet away and the Glock does what it says on the carrying case then 3-5 years of suspension and a high court case await. on July 6, 2008 at 5: 58 pm | Reply James

    Three Blind Mice. « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2008

  • Double-special bonus points if you can document her calling the miscreant a “sexist.”

    The Volokh Conspiracy » John Mark Reynolds on Sarah Palin 2009

  • Frankly, the only way ANYONE could POSSIBLY support this miscreant, is if their concepts of responsibility, honesty and fair play are so corrupt, so misdirected and so twisted, that they themselves are unfit to belong in a civilized society.

    Blaster Master fire storm 2004

  • No one but a miscreant is impressed with a wad of plastic.

    Mexico City: Biggest city guide for the savvy traveler 2001

  • No one but a miscreant is impressed with a wad of plastic.

    Mexico City: Biggest city guide for the savvy traveler 2001

  • Dubois Crancé stated, that at the epoch of the trial of the tyrant, Marat had said, in speaking of Robespierre; that miscreant is more dangerous to liberty than all the combined despots.

    News Report 1794

  • Dubois Crancé stated, that at the epoch of the trial of the tyrant, Marat had said, in speaking of Robespierre; that miscreant is more dangerous to liberty than all the combined despots.

    News Report 1794

  • Dubois Crancé stated, that at the epoch of the trial of the tyrant, Marat had said, in speaking of Robespierre; that miscreant is more dangerous to liberty than all the combined despots.

    News Report 1794

  • Or the miscreant is an elder ’statesman (woman)’, highly respected, quite wealthy and still very well-connected.

    Is That The Question? | ATTACKERMAN 2009

  • His hand was yet on the chamber-door, and Barnes was calling his miscreant and scoundrel within; so no wonder Barnes had a hangdog look.

    The Newcomes 2006

Comments

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  • I spelled "miscreants" in a game of Bookworm once. I was so proud of myself.

    January 11, 2008

  • What? Have you no scruples?

    January 11, 2008

  • “This means ensuring that militants — or “miscreants,” as Pakistanis like to say — do not return to those areas that have been cleared in recent months.”

    The New York Times, Pakistan’s War of Choice , by Michael O'Hanlon, March 23, 2010

    March 25, 2010

  • militant doesnotequal miscreant IMHO

    March 25, 2010