swartrutter

noun

swart·​rut·​ter

ˈswȯ(r)t‧ˌrətə(r)

plural -s

: a member of any of various 16th and 17th century marauding bands in the Netherlands who blackened their faces and wore black garb

Word History

Etymology

alteration (influenced by Dutch swartrutter black rider) of German schwartze rotte, literally, black gang

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