🇬🇧🇪🇸 scallywag - canalla : English Lesson
noun
Meaning of "scallywag" ("canalla"), detailed definition, and a short video lesson below.
A scallywag is someone who loves being silly and a little naughty in a fun way—playing tricks, joking around, and causing small trouble that doesn’t really hurt anyone, just makes people laugh or roll their eyes.
My little brother is such a scallywag that he put googly eyes on all the vegetables so they’d “watch” us eat dinner.
Grandpa called me a scallywag when I replaced his TV remote batteries with jellybeans.
The scallywag put fake spiders in every shoe, and the morning sounded like a horror movie made of screams and stomping.
The baby scallywag pretended to share her cookie, then shoved the whole thing into her own mouth while staring at me in triumph.
Historically, adults used the word “scallywag” for troublemakers, but today it’s often a silly way to say someone is a playful rascal—so if your grandpa calls you a scallywag, you’re probably funny, not grounded.
Grandma found flour footprints across the floor. The scallywag in the doorway grinned, flour on his nose. The scallywag had made a cake but ate the batter, then the scallywag hid the spoons. The scallywag set the timer wrong and the oven smoked, then the scallywag hugged Grandma and they both laughed, cleaning the mess together.
🧑🎓 CEFR Level: C2 Proficient
This word is at the C2 level, which means it represents the highest mastery of English. It’s often used in specialized or highly formal contexts and helps you communicate with precision and subtlety, much like a native speaker.
Expanding your English vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation, spelling, and confidence in English. Watch the video above to memorize the word, understand its meaning, and see example sentences in action. Discover related words to grow your vocabulary naturally. Add words to your playlist for stress-free, effective learning—anytime, anywhere! Watch, learn, repeat.
