scurvy

Meanings

Plural: scurvies

Noun

a condition caused by deficiency of ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
A disease caused by insufficient intake of vitamin C, leading to the formation of livid spots on the skin, spongy gums, loosening of the teeth, and bleeding into the skin and from almost all mucous membranes; (countable, obsolete) an occurrence of this disease.
A contemptible or despicable person.
A cattle disease, perhaps affecting the skin.

Adjective Satellite

of the most contemptible kind
- "a scurvy trick"

Adj

Affected or covered with scurf (“skin disease causing flakes of skin to fall off”) or scabs; scurfy, scabby; also, of or relating to a skin disease causing scurf or to scurvy (noun sense 1).
Of growths on plants: resembling scurf; scurfy.
Of a person or thing: disgustingly mean; contemptible, despicable, low.
Of the way someone is treated: poor, shabby.

Origin / Etymology

The adjective is derived from Late Middle English scurvi, scurvy, variants of scurfi (“having scurf, scabby”), from scurf (“skin disease causing scabs or scales; flakes of skin that fall off due to a skin disease, etc.”) + -i (suffix forming adjectives). Scurf is derived from Old English scurf, from Proto-Germanic *skurf- (“to gnaw”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut off, sever; to divide, separate”). By surface analysis, scurf (“skin disease; flakes of skin that fall off due to a skin disease; crust-like formations on the skin”) + -y (suffix meaning ‘having the quality of’ forming adjectives).
The noun is derived from the adjective. It was used to translate the similar-sounding Dutch scheurbuik, French scorbut, Middle Low German schorbūk (“scurvy (disease)”), etc.

Synonyms

abject, arsehole, ass, assface, asshat, asshole, asswipe, Barlow's disease, base, bastard, beggarly, bitch, blackguard, blaggard, blameworthy, buttlicker, buttmunch, carrion, Cheadle's disease, Cheadle-Möller-Barlow syndrome, cheap, cockhead, cocklicker, cocksucker, contemptible, cowson, cringing, crud, cunt, dedecorous, degraded, deridable, derisible, despicable, despisable, dick, dickhead, dickwad, dickweed, dipshit, dirty, discreditable, disdainable, disgraceful, dishonorable, disreputable, douche, douchebag, douchecanoe, douchewagon, earthworm, execrable, fribble, fucker, fuckface, fuckhead, fuckstain, fucktard, git, groveling, heel, hilding, ignoble, ignominious, inglorious, insect, jackass, jerk, lame, laughable, loathsome, loser, louse, low, low-down, ludicrous, mahfugga, mean, mean-spirited, miserable, Moeller's disease, mongrel, motherfucker, Möller-Barlow disease, obscene, outrageous, paltry, paskudnyak, pigfucker, pigwidgeon, pitiable, pitiful, plebeian, prick, putrid, queef, raasclaat, ratfink, reef, reprehensible, reptile, reptilian, reptitious, ridiculous, risible, roynish, scabby, scabrate, scabrid, scabrous, scald, scalled, schmuck, scorbutus, scornworthy, scrub, scummy, scurvy, scut, sewer rat, shabby, shameful, sheep-biter, shit, shitbird, shitehawk, shitface, shithead, skate, slag, slavish, sleazy, slimy, son of a bitch, son of a gun, son of a whore, sordid, sorry, stinker, swine, trashy, turdball, twattock, ugly, uncommendable, uncool, unmentionable, unsophisticated, unwashed, unworthy, vile, vulgar, wankpuffin, weak, whoreson, worm, worthless, wretched, yutz

Scrabble Score: 14

scurvy is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
scurvy is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
scurvy is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 16

scurvy is a valid Words With Friends word