Words at Play : Surprising Words from the 1920's
Definition:
: a contemptuous lawbreaker; especially : one who ignores parking tickets
About the Word:
Scofflaw, a word that began with a slightly different meaning than it has today, was created in 1924. We know this because it came about as the result of a contest sponsored by a man named Delcevare King, who wanted to create a word that would be used to describe a person who did not observe the rules of Prohibition.
Example:
"Delcevare King of Quincy last night announced that 'scofflaw' is the winning word in the contest for the $200 he offered for a word, to characterize the 'lawless drinker' of illegally made or illegally obtained liquor." The Boston Herald, 16 January 1924
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