Victorian & Edwardian · insult · noun
rotter
ROT-erpronunciation given by a dictionary
First recorded1879
A thoroughly worthless, objectionable or morally rotten person; a scoundrel. British slang of the late 19th century, built from 'rot' + '-er'.
Where it was first recorded
Dated 1879 by Merriam-Webster, which does not name the work (Etymonline gives 1889, Green's earliest citation is 1896)
In its own time
Then we'd better get back and make sure of the other rotter.
Today
Modern exampleSome rotter ate the last slice of cake and left the empty box in the fridge.
Fine to use today; it sounds jokily old-fashioned and British.
Questions
What does rotter mean?
A thoroughly worthless, objectionable or morally rotten person; a scoundrel. British slang of the late 19th century, built from 'rot' + '-er'.
When was rotter first used?
It is first recorded 1879 — first recorded date 1879 per Merriam-Webster; work not named (Etymonline gives 1889, Green's earliest citation is 1896).
Can you still use rotter today?
Fine to use today; it sounds jokily old-fashioned and British.
Sources
- rotter — Merriam-Webster
- rotter — Online Etymology Dictionary
- rotter, n.1 — Green's Dictionary of Slang
- Passing English of the Victorian Era (1909), s.v. Rotter (a related sense: 'a failure', especially on the stage) — J. Redding Ware (archive.org)
- The Amateur Cracksman — Project Gutenberg #706
Checked 2026-09-30 · verdict: attested — found in the dictionaries and texts listed above