# Looking for words like vandal, thug, assassin **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 31, 2018, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582 "2018-08-31T17:28:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yellow\_sausage\_bandit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yellow_sausage_bandit/32/394_2.png) [@yellow\_sausage\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellow_sausage_bandit)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/1 "2018-08-31T17:28:25Z")
I’m looking for more words to describe people that come from ethnic/religious groups. Any language is fine. Vandal - from the Germanic tribe Cannibal - from the Caribe tribe Thug - from the Indian Thuggee cult Assassin - from an Islamic sect Here’s one from Dutch: The Dutch word for heretic is ketter which comes from Cathar. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/2 "2018-08-31T17:40:53Z")
> [@yellow\_sausage\_bandit](#): > > I’m looking for more words to describe people that come from ethnic/religious groups. Any language is fine. > > Vandal - from the Germanic tribe > Cannibal - from the Caribe tribe > Thug - from the Indian Thuggee cult > Assassin - from an Islamic sect > > Here’s one from Dutch: > The Dutch word for heretic is ketter which comes from Cathar. Barbarian. Goyim Gentile giaour Infidel ---
**Author:** ![garxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de0a6/32.png) [@garxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garxie)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/3 "2018-08-31T17:51:21Z")
horde? ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/4 "2018-08-31T18:01:08Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Barbarian. > Goyim > Gentile > giaour > Infidel Infidel comes from Latin words for “not faithful,” not from the name of a tribe or ethnic group. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/5 "2018-08-31T18:01:41Z")
Bugger - from Bulgar. Goth - from the, you know, Goths. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/6 "2018-08-31T18:16:13Z")
Slaves - from Slavs ---
**Author:** ![newme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e0b2c6/32.png) [@newme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newme)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/7 "2018-08-31T19:22:42Z")
Welcher or welsher. In WWII, the Germans referred to enemy fighter planes as “_Indianer_” - Indians. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/8 "2018-08-31T19:37:06Z")
Hun Apache ([especially as used in France](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apaches_(subculture))). Gypsy Pygmy ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/9 "2018-08-31T19:41:30Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Goyim I presume the OP is looking for words, originally names for ethnic groups, that are now used to describe types of people outside these groups. What group is called goyim besides goyim? (“Gentile” I’ll grant you.) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/10 "2018-08-31T19:44:30Z")
Bohemian, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/11 "2018-08-31T19:46:37Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I presume the OP is looking for words, originally names for ethnic groups, that are now used to describe types of people outside these groups. How does this fit? If that is what he is looking for, it doesnt fit very well. "I’m looking for more words to describe people that come from ethnic/religious groups. " is kinda vague and based upon the literal meaning, Goyim fits. Goy just meant “nation” originally, and the connotation has changed to mean “non-Jew”. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/12 "2018-08-31T19:51:04Z")
Berserk is derived from the Viking _berserker_ warriors Myrmidon, from the warriors led by Achilles at Troy Nomad Turk, in the sense of _young Turk_, or the derogatory sense of someone who is fierce or brutal ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/13 "2018-08-31T19:52:53Z")
Hun? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/14 "2018-08-31T19:53:33Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > If that is what he is looking for, it doesnt fit very well. "I’m looking for more words to describe people that come from ethnic/religious groups. " is kinda vague and based upon the literal meaning, Goyim fits. Goy just meant “nation” originally, and the connotation has changed to mean “non-Jew”. It’s not exactly explicit in the OP, but that’s what all the examples are. Otherwise French, German, Japanese, etc would also fit. I presume he’s looking for something more specific. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/15 "2018-08-31T19:55:11Z")
Wild Feejee, for anyone who’s acting wild. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/16 "2018-08-31T19:55:17Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Hun? [Hun.](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Hun) > [@](#): > > 1 : a member of a nomadic central Asian people gaining control of a large part of central and eastern Europe under Attila about a.d. 450 > **2 a often not capitalized : a person who is wantonly destructive : vandal > b disparaging : german; especially : a German soldier** ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/17 "2018-08-31T19:56:53Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Bohemian, perhaps? That’s a good one. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/18 "2018-08-31T20:13:48Z")
Also, spartan. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/19 "2018-08-31T20:22:52Z")
Sybarite Puritan Arab, in the sense of street Arab ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582/20 "2018-08-31T20:24:58Z")
Lesbian, from the island of Lesbos, home of the poet Sappho (see also “sapphic”). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-words-like-vandal-thug-assassin/820582.md?page=2)