dandruff

Meanings

Noun

• Scaly white dead skin flakes from the human scalp; Pityriasis capitis.

Verb

• To fall or cover with white flakes, like dandruff.

Origin

• The word is first attested in 1545; the first element is obscure, the second element derives from a Northumbrian or East Anglian term huff or hruff, hurf, from Old Norse hrufa, from Proto-Germanic *hreubaz, *hreufaz, source of Old English hrēofla ("leprosy, leper"). More at reef (etymology 2).