mugger
mugger Lexical Profile
mugger Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person who attacks and robs another in a public place.
"The witness provided the police with a detailed description of the mugger who snatched the tourist's bag."
A large, broad-snouted freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) of the family Crocodylidae, native to marshes, lakes, and slow-moving rivers across the Indian subcontinent.
"During the dry season, the mugger often burrows into the muddy banks of reservoirs to escape the intense heat."
A performer or person who makes exaggerated facial expressions, especially to entertain an audience or attract attention before a camera.
"The veteran comedic actor was a shameless mugger who could make the audience laugh with a single raised eyebrow."
• Rhymes for mugger
Word Origin & Etymology
In its common sense of a street robber, the word derives from 19th-century British pugilistic slang 'mug' (meaning to strike in the face or strangle) combined with the agent suffix '-er'. In its zoological sense referring to the Indian crocodile, it is borrowed from Hindi 'magar', ultimately from Sanskrit 'makara' (sea monster or crocodile).