What does tosser mean?
In British English, tosser is an informal noun used contemptuously for an irritating, stupid, or generally contemptible person. It is especially characteristic of casual, heated, or humorous speech and can range from mild ridicule to outright abuse. Australian English also uses the word in a similar derogatory way, while it is understood but less common in American English. Tosser can additionally have a literal meaning, “one who tosses,” although this usage is now uncommon and may sound old-fashioned. The word is especially interesting because it illustrates how an ordinary agent noun formed with -er can acquire an insulting sense through a shift in connotation. The result can sound blunt and deliberately dismissive, so it is unsuitable for formal or sensitive contexts. Even in its literal sense, however, the negative associations of the dominant meaning may create an unintended insulting implication.
nounAn irritating, stupid, or contemptible person. In a literal or archaic sense, it means a person who tosses something.
- An irritating, stupid, or contemptible person.
- A person who tosses something; a thrower.
"He apologised for behaving like an absolute tosser."
"He apologised for behaving like an absolute tosser."
"In the coin-toss contest, each tosser has three attempts."
Normally used with the derogatory sense; the plural of the rare literal sense is also possible.
"The two players glared at each other like a pair of tossers."
From “one who tosses” to “a thoroughly contemptible person,” tosser is a compact example of a perfectly literal word becoming an insult.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tosser come from?
Tosser is an English agent noun formed from toss plus the suffix -er, with the basic literal sense “one who tosses.” Its derogatory sense is a later semantic development associated chiefly with British English. The deeper origin of toss is uncertain, and no securely identifiable family of non-English cognates can be asserted confidently.
Related word forms
How tosser is actually used
The dominant sense is informal, derogatory, and chiefly associated with British and Australian English. The literal sense is uncommon outside older or deliberately formal usage and may sound dated.
Easily confused with tosser
Toss is a verb meaning to throw lightly or propel briefly into the air, whereas tosser is a noun for such a person and is now usually an insult.