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noun

scurvy

SKUR-vee
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Scurvy (noun) means a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C, causing bleeding gums, loose teeth, and skin spots. Example: “Sailors on long voyages once suffered terribly from scurvy before citrus fruit became standard rations.”

noun
1
A disease caused by a lack of vitamin C, causing bleeding gums, loose teeth, and skin spots.
"Sailors on long voyages once suffered terribly from scurvy before citrus fruit became standard rations."
"Conditions were horrendous aboard most British naval vessels at the time. Scurvy and other diseases ran rampant, killing more seamen each year than all other causes combined, including combat." — William E. Carter, The British Longitude Act Reconsidered: Was It Responsible Governance or was It Subterfuge? (2012)
adjective
1
Mean, despicable, or contemptible.
"a scurvy knave a scurvy trick"
"That was a scurvy trick to play on your own brother."

How to use scurvy

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMost commonly the vitamin-C deficiency disease; as an old-fashioned adjective, it means low, mean, or contemptible.

Memory tip

The adjective sense ("scurvy dog!") is now mostly heard in pirate-themed fiction.

Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
scurvy dog a case of scurvy
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Word forms

Plural
scurvies
Comparative
scurvier
Superlative
scurviest
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Sailors on long voyages once suffered terribly from _____ before citrus fruit became standard rations.

Etymology

From Late Middle English forms of "scurfy" (having scurf, or flaky skin), from "scurf," a skin condition causing flakes — ultimately from Old English scurf.

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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scorbutus scummy low miserable abject

Related words

first down high bad small low happy short

Rhymes for scurvy

curvy
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Frequently asked questions

What does “scurvy” mean?
The word “scurvy” means a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C, causing bleeding gums, loose teeth, and skin spots. In plain terms, most commonly the vitamin-C deficiency disease; as an old-fashioned adjective, it means low, mean, or contemptible.
How do you pronounce “scurvy”?
“Scurvy” is pronounced SKUR-vee (/ˈskɜɹvi/ in IPA).
How do you use “scurvy” in a sentence?
Here is “scurvy” used in a sentence: “Sailors on long voyages once suffered terribly from scurvy before citrus fruit became standard rations.”
What part of speech is “scurvy”?
Depending on how it is used, “scurvy” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “scurvy” come from?
The word “scurvy” comes from Old English. From Late Middle English forms of "scurfy" (having scurf, or flaky skin), from "scurf," a skin condition causing flakes — ultimately from Old English scurf.
How many meanings does “scurvy” have?
“Scurvy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C, causing bleeding gums, loose teeth, and skin spots.

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