Ratchet is a slang term in American hip hop culture that, in its original sense,[1] was a derogatory term used to refer to an uncouth woman, and may be a Louisianan dialect form of the word "wretched".
In the 2000s–2010s, the word became loosely connotative of denoting overt confidence, defiance, fervor, or otherwise being descriptive of actions displaying boisterous and unruly behavior (similar to that of the male archetype "bad boy") when attributed to a person. It is primarily used in street slang and is popular among African American women.[2] Originally explicitly derogatory, the term can be interpreted as positive or derogatory, based on the subject.[3]
The term may also be used to describe a handgun.[4]