noun
Uncommon
scarecrow
SKEH-uhk-roh
Scarecrow (noun) means a figure made to look human, dressed in old clothes and set up in a field to frighten birds away from crops. Example: “The farmer propped a scarecrow up among the cornstalks.”
noun
1
A figure made to look human, dressed in old clothes and set up in a field to frighten birds away from crops.
"Priapus was frequently represented sculpturally, as a kind of scarecrow among the fields and even as a protection over graveyards."
— Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs (1961)
"The farmer propped a scarecrow up among the cornstalks."
2
A very thin, awkward, or raggedly dressed person.
"After the illness he looked like a scarecrow."
How to use scarecrow
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA stuffed, human-shaped figure in a field meant to keep birds away — or, informally, a thin, ragged-looking person.
Common pairings
straw scarecrow
scarecrow in the field
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Word forms
- Plural
- scarecrows
- Third person singular
- scarecrows
- Past tense
- scarecrowed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The farmer propped a _____ up among the cornstalks.
Etymology
Formed from "scare" plus "crow," since its original purpose was to scare crows off farmland.
Synonyms
View more →
scarer
bird-scarer
crow scarer
crowkeeper
frayboggard
gallicrow
gallybagger
malkin
mammet
potato-bogle
scare-beggar
scare-the-birds
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “scarecrow” mean?
The word “scarecrow” means a figure made to look human, dressed in old clothes and set up in a field to frighten birds away from crops. In plain terms, a stuffed, human-shaped figure in a field meant to keep birds away — or, informally, a thin, ragged-looking person.
How do you pronounce “scarecrow”?
“Scarecrow” is pronounced SKEH-uhk-roh (/ˈskɛɚˌkɹoʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “scarecrow” in a sentence?
Here is “scarecrow” used in a sentence: “The farmer propped a scarecrow up among the cornstalks.”
What is another word for “scarecrow”?
Words with a similar meaning to “scarecrow” include bird-scarer, crow scarer, crowkeeper, frayboggard, gallicrow and gallybagger.
What part of speech is “scarecrow”?
“Scarecrow” is a noun.
Is “scarecrow” a common word?
“Scarecrow” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “scarecrow” have?
“Scarecrow” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a figure made to look human, dressed in old clothes and set up in a field to frighten birds away from crops.
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