illywhacker

noun /ˈɪliwakə/

1. A small-time confidence trickster or seller of trinkets.

   rare

   ‘What's an illywhacker?’ said Charles. ‘Spieler,’ explained Leah, who was not used to children.

Where it comes from

Uncertain. Suggested by lexicographer Sidney Baker to derive from illy (variant of eeler, from pig Latin eeler-spee for spieler) + whacker. The verb form whack the illy is a back-formation from the noun.

Adapted from the Wiktionary entry illywhacker (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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