A street urchin or child of the poorest class living in the streets; someone of low social status or disreputable character.
Compound of 'gutter' and 'snipe' (a small, insignificant bird). The comparison likens poor street children to small, insignificant creatures—a cruel but historically common metaphor for the poorest members of society.
This word perfectly captures Victorian-era class anxiety: 'snipe' referred to small, worthless birds, so calling poor children 'guttersnipes' was literally treating them as vermin—Dickens used this word to show exactly how society dehumanized the poor.
Historically gendered slur for street children and homeless people, often applied disproportionately to girls. Assumed male homeless youth in Victorian usage while girls faced additional moral judgment.
Avoid as slur; if referring to historical usage, use 'street child' or 'unhoused youth' with neutral language.
["street child","unhoused youth","child in poverty"]
Women's experiences of homelessness and street life were systematically underrecorded; use inclusive historical language to acknowledge all children affected.
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