rugrat

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A toddler, a young child.

Register: derogatory, humorous, slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

So my mom, who is truly a saint, had the unfortunate job of raising three selfish rug rats, with little to no income in a town she didn't know with zero friends around.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “rugrat” mean?

A toddler, a young child.

Is “rugrat” formal or informal?

rugrat is generally derogatory, humorous, slang.