A Rogue Elephant Is One That Left the Herd
A rogue is a dishonest or mischievous person. Applied to animals or systems, it means one that has broken away and turned dangerous.
A rogue is a dishonest person, or affectionately a mischievous one. The adjective carries a distinct and more serious meaning: a *rogue elephant* is a solitary bull that has left the herd and become aggressive, and from that image English built *rogue state*, *rogue trader* and *rogue wave* — all describing something that has broken away from its normal group and turned dangerous. The origin is uncertain, first recorded in the 1500s for a vagrant.
- A dishonest person. *A charming rogue.*
- Acting alone and dangerously. *A rogue elephant.*
- Go rogue — to act independently. *He went rogue.*
- Roguish — mischievous. *A roguish smile.*
- Uncertain origin. *Recorded from the 1500s.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | rogue | A rogue. |
| Plural | rogues | Rogues. |
| Adjective | rogue | A rogue state. |
| Adjective | roguish | Roguish. |
| Noun | roguery | Roguery. |
- He is a lovable rogue.Affectionate.
- A rogue trader lost millions.Finance.
- A rogue wave struck the ship.Ocean.
Things that go rogue
- Rogue elephant — a solitary aggressive bull, the original image
- Rogue state — a country acting outside international norms
- Rogue trader — one operating beyond authorised limits
- Rogue wave — an unexpectedly large wave in open sea
- Rogue planet — one drifting without a star
Of uncertain origin, first recorded in the 1560s for a vagrant or beggar, possibly from Latin *rogare*, to ask.
Why is a lone elephant called rogue?
Because a bull that leaves the herd often becomes unpredictable and aggressive, and that image gave English rogue state and rogue trader.
Is rogue always negative?
Not always. Applied to a person it is often affectionate; applied as an adjective to states, traders or waves it is serious.