Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Origin: Perhaps from brat 'rough or torn piece of clothing' (10-20 centuries), from Old Irish bratt 'cloak'

brat

 noun
     
brat [countable] informal
1 a badly behaved child:
2

Army/Navy/military etc brat

American English a child whose family moves often because one or both parents works for the army, navy etc
—bratty adjective
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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