nogoodnik

Nogoodnik is an informal English noun used to describe a person who is unscrupulous, dangerous, or simply unpleasant—a no-good person, a villain or scoundrel. The term can carry either a humorous or a pejorative tone and is often applied to petty criminals, troublemakers, or someone deemed morally deficient.

Etymology: The word combines the phrase no good with the suffix -nik, a productive ending found in Yiddish and other languages that denotes a person associated with or characterized by something. Nogoodnik entered American English in the 20th century, reflecting the blend of English with Eastern European Jewish slang.

Usage and nuance: Nogoodnik emphasizes moral quality rather than detailing specific acts. Context determines whether it reads as lighthearted or insulting. It is more common in American English and among communities influenced by Yiddish-English slang, though widely understood by general audiences.

Cultural note: The term has appeared in various forms of popular culture, including humor and dialogue in mid-20th-century American media, contributing to its recognizability as a generic label for a troublemaker. Variants such as no-goodnik are also encountered in alphabetical and dictionary listings.