Truan

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An archaic or Scots term for a beggar or idle vagabond who lives by begging rather than work
2. Old Scots word for a poor wanderer who survives by asking others for alms and has no settled home
3. A destitute, idle person who roams from place to place and depends on charity for a living

Etymology: A "truan" was once a beggar or vagrant, and the sense of idling away from duty came later. The word comes from Old French "truant" or "truand," which meant a beggar or idler. Its ultimate origin is uncertain. Proposed sources include Celtic and Frankish roots, but none is firmly established. English took the word in its early days, and the meaning of "truant" narrowed over time. It shifted from a general idler or vagrant to one who neglects a duty, especially a schoolchild who stays away from lessons without leave. "Truan" is the older, less common spelling, and it shows the word's French origin more plainly than the modern form does.