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Where does the word "ragged" come from? It comes from Old Norse rogguthr, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
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Where does the word "ragged" come from? It comes from Old Norse rogguthr, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
Ragged’s story begins in Old Norse: rogguthr meant “shaggy, tufted.” Shaggy, tufted, describing rough, uneven fur or cloth. It reached English by 1300s as ragged. Settled as the English word for torn, worn, or uneven material. Today, ragged means torn or worn out, or having a rough, irregular edge.
- Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval rogguthr "shaggy, tufted", shaggy, tufted, describing rough, uneven fur or cloth.
- Stage 2 · English · 1300s ragged "torn or worn, having a rough, uneven edge", settled as the English word for torn, worn, or uneven material.