water rat
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A petty thief or waterfront ruffian.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “water rat” mean?
A petty thief or waterfront ruffian.
Is “water rat” formal or informal?
water rat is generally slang.