rum
Preserved but no longer current.
Like its opposite, QUEER, was formerly a much-used prefix, signifying fine, good, gallant, or valuable; perhaps in some way connected with ROME. Nowadays it means indifferent, bad, or questionable, and we often hear even persons in polite society use such a phrase as, "What a RUM fellow he is, to be sure," in speaking of a man of singular habits or appearance.
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 “rum” mean?
Like its opposite, QUEER, was formerly a much-used prefix, signifying fine, good, gallant, or valuable; perhaps in some way connected with ROME. Nowadays it means indifferent, bad, or questionable, and we often hear even persons in polite society use such a phrase as, "What a RUM fellow he is, to be sure," in speaking of a man of singular habits or appearance.
Is “rum” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.