Ragpicker - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
A ragpicker is a person who collects discarded items, such as old clothes or scraps, to sell or reuse. This term often refers to someone who scavenges for materials in waste.
Definition:
A person who collects and sells discarded items, especially rags or scrap materials.
Synonyms:
scavenger, junk collector, waste picker
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
philanthropist, donor
Common Collocations:
urban ragpicker, poor ragpicker, skilled ragpicker
Derivatives:
ragpicking, ragpicked
Usage Tips:
Use "ragpicker" to describe someone who gathers discarded items for resale or recycling, often in impoverished conditions.
Common Phrases:
"ragpicker's trade, " "ragpicker's cart, " "ragpicker's life"
Etymology:
Derived from "rag" (scrap cloth) + "picker" (one who collects), originating in the 19th century.
Examples:
- 1. The ragpicker sorted through the trash for reusable fabric.
- 2. Children watched the old ragpicker push his cart down the alley.
- 3. She donated clothes instead of leaving them for the ragpicker.
- 4. The city’s ragpickers formed a cooperative to improve their earnings.