- Today's Word
Rugrat
[RUG-rat]
Definition
- (noun) An informal, affectionate term for a young child, typically a toddler. It’s often used to refer to children who are crawling or just learning to walk, implying they spend a lot of time close to the floor or rug.
Example
Jenny couldn’t wait for her sister’s visit; she hadn’t seen her little rugrats in months and was excited to play with them.
Fun Fact
The term “rugrat” emerged in American English in the 1960s, combining “rug” (referring to the floor covering that small children often crawl on) and “rat” (in this context, a playful term for a small creature scurrying about). The word gained widespread popularity in the 1990s with the debut of the animated TV series “Rugrats,” which featured the adventures of a group of toddlers. This show significantly boosted the term’s usage and recognition, cementing its place in popular culture. The evolution of “rugrat” from a casual slang term to a widely recognized word through media influence demonstrates how popular culture can shape and spread language, especially informal expressions.
(noun) The range of one’s knowledge, understanding, or awareness.
Quantum physics lies far beyond my ken, no matter how many articles I read.
Ken comes from Old English cennan, meaning “to know” or “to make known,” and is closely related to Middle English and Scots usage where it meant knowledge, perception, or recognition. Over time, the word narrowed to describe the limits of what someone knows or understands, which is why it’s often used today in phrases like “beyond my ken.”