scarf
1 Americannoun
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scarfs,
plural
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scarves
plural
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a long, broad strip of wool, silk, lace, or other material worn about the neck, shoulders, or head, for ornament or protection against cold, drafts, etc.
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a necktie or cravat with hanging ends.
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a long cover or ornamental cloth for a bureau, table, etc.
verb (used with object)
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to cover or wrap with or as if with a scarf.
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to use in the manner of a scarf.
verb (used with or without object)
noun
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scarfs
plural
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a tapered or otherwise-formed end on each of the pieces to be assembled with a scarf joint.
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Whaling. a strip of skin along the body of the whale.
verb (used with object)
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to assemble with a scarf joint.
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to form a scarf on (the end of a timber).
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Steelmaking. to burn away the surface defects of (newly rolled steel).
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Whaling. to make a groove in and remove (the blubber and skin).
noun
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Also called: scarf joint, scarfed joint. a lapped joint between two pieces of timber made by notching or grooving the ends and strapping, bolting, or gluing the two pieces together
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the end of a piece of timber shaped to form such a joint
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a wedge-shaped cut made in a tree before felling, to determine the direction of the fall
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whaling an incision made along a whale's body before stripping off the blubber
verb
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to join (two pieces of timber) by means of a scarf
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to make a scarf on (a piece of timber)
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to cut a scarf in (a whale)
noun
verb
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to wrap with or as if with a scarf
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to use as or in the manner of a scarf
Usage
Plural word for scarf The plural form of scarf can be either scarfs or scarves, but scarves is more widely used. The plurals of some other singular words that end -f are also formed in this way, including leaf/leaves, elf/elves, and wife/wives. A similar change is made when pluralizing hoof as hooves. Irregular plurals that are formed like scarves derive directly from their original pluralization in Old English.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of scarf1
First recorded in 1545–55; of uncertain origin; perhaps special use of scarf 3
Origin of scarf2
An Americanism dating to 1955–60; variant of scoff 2, probably a respelling by r-less speakers
Origin of scarf3
First recorded in 1490–1500; probably from Old Norse skarfr (derivative of skera “to cut”) “beveled edge, end cut from a beam” (hence perhaps “a piece of cloth cut off, a scarf”; see scarf 1)
Explanation
A scarf is a wide piece of fabric that's worn around the neck or over the head. That long, warm, wooly thing you wrap around your throat in the winter is a scarf. In the 1500s, a scarf was a "band worn across the body," from the Old French escherpe, "pilgrim's purse suspended from the neck." Today, a scarf can take many forms, from an itchy wool scarf to a head covering worn for religious reasons to a silk scarf tied jauntily around the throat. As a verb, scarf means "eat hungrily." You might scarf down some pizza, then put on your scarf and head back into the snow.
Vocabulary lists containing scarf
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
With her hair pulled up in a colorful scarf, she looks fresh and eager to chat despite a six-hour hike earlier that day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
On the day of the attempted attack, he walked to the west London embassy from north London wearing a red and white traditional Arabic scarf wrapped around his head and sunglasses.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
In February 2025, Simpson responded: “A silk scarf isn’t going to pay the rent that’s due which the babies thrive under, or the car note which carries them to their many doctor appointments.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
The prize: A red Coca-Cola themed scarf or baseball cap.
From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026
He then drapes himself over Autumn’s shoulders so it looks like she’s wearing a scarf made of aboatia fur.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
And to be sure, a significant portion of the viewing public scarfs these characters and their nasty business like candy corn.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2024
The protestors, dressed in red shirts, scarfs and berets, chanted songs and held banners - some reading "stop the looting, we are suffering".
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2023
Place your fresh pakoras onto a paper towel-lined platter and watch as you, or anyone near you, scarfs them down with the same voracity with which one would demolish a carton of McDonald's french fries.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2023
The KCU, whose members are known for their red scarfs, was set up to promote the North's political ideology including "Juche", or self reliance.
From Reuters ● Jun. 7, 2023
Sandy says thank you, grabs the box of cereal, pours himself a mountain, and scarfs it down in a minute flat.
From "King and the Dragonflies" by Kacen Callender
Scattered along the walls of the studio were tidy heaps of scarves and mesh, rainbows of stripes, every shade of ballet pink, Uggs of every height.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
When it comes to the crunch, however, the band are as tight-knit as Sakura's head scarves and the story of their album is one of solidarity.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
Gates first traveled to Vijayawada, a city in the southeast, where he stepped off the plane and greeted officials who presented him with colorful scarves representing different regions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
Through her coaching service, Mann helps people explore wigs, scarves, or going completely bald, depending on their desires.
From Slate ● May 23, 2026
It was the beginning of spring, but it was still cold, so he had seen lots of hats and scarves.
From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
