gombeen

English

Etymology

From Irish gaimbín (“monetary interest”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ɡɒmˈbiːn/
  • Rhymes: -iːn

Noun

gombeen (countable and uncountable, plural gombeens)

  1. (archaic) Usury.
  2. (historical, Ireland) A moneylender during the Great Famine.
    • 2002, Joseph O'Connor, Star of the Sea, Vintage 2003, page xix:
      It was said by some that he had been a moneylender back in Ireland; a ‘gombeen’ in their slang: a hated figure.
  3. (Ireland, slang) A mean, underhanded, corrupt person. Usually applied to politicians.

Derived terms

Adjective

gombeen

  1. (Ireland) Corrupt, underhanded.
    They were talking gombeen politics.
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