bummer
Preserved but no longer current.
Literally one who sits or idles about; a loafer; one who sponges upon his acquaintances. In California, men who profess to be journalists, and so obtain free dinners and drinks, are called "literary BUMMERS." Although the term is not much in use in this country, the profession of bumming, both literary and otherwise, is freely practised.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “bummer” mean?
Literally one who sits or idles about; a loafer; one who sponges upon his acquaintances. In California, men who profess to be journalists, and so obtain free dinners and drinks, are called "literary BUMMERS." Although the term is not much in use in this country, the profession of bumming, both literary and otherwise, is freely practised.
Is “bummer” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.