Unnumbered source etymology
Original entry ↗A person, usually a youth, of low social standing and education, with a violent disposition and a particular style of dress (typically sportswear or Burberry), speech and behaviour.
Unknown. The suggested initialism from "non-educated delinquent" is a backronym and folk etymology. Several other suggestions include a contraction of ne'er-do-well, neanderthal, or some kind of relationship with Teddy Boy although its use much predates the 1950s origin of that phrase. Ostensibly unrelated to "Ned" as a diminutive of the personal name "Edward" but the Scottish use of 'ned' for hooligan or lout is cited by the Oxford English Dictionary as dating from the early 19th century. The OED also attributes a possible derivation from the 'Edward' diminutive.
Inspect preserved source fields
Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.
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