scurvy

Meanings

Noun

• 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.

Adjective

• Covered or affected with scurf or scabs; scabby; scurfy; specifically, diseased with the scurvy.
• Contemptible, despicable, low, disgustingly mean.

Related

Similar words

• Barlow's disease, Cheadle-Möller-Barlow syndrome, Cheadle's disease, land scurvy, Moeller's disease, Möller-Barlow disease, scorbutus

Origin

• Noun usage possibly from the adjective scurvy influenced by or a variant of scurfy. Took on meaning of Dutch scheurbuik, French scorbut, possibly from Old Norse skyrbjúgr, skyr + bjúgr whence the Icelandic skyrbjúgur. Compare German Scharbock, Late Latin scorbutus. Alternatively from Middle Dutch, from Middle Low German.