spanger

See also: spänger

English

Etymology

spange + -er (person who does), root blend of spare + change, from stereotyped phrase “spare change?”, “spare any change?”

Noun

spanger (plural spangers)

  1. (US, slang, pejorative) beggar, one who uses the phrase “spare change?”
    • 2007, Pam Hogeweide, Spangers and Song on Hawthorne:[1]
      I squatted down on the sidewalk to get eye level with the spanger (someone who asks passerbys for spare change).

Usage notes

While sometimes used neutrally,[1] more often used pejoratively,[2][3][4][5] with connotations of professional begging.

References

Anagrams

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