Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

scabby

American  
[skab-ee] / ˈskæb i /

adjective

scabbier, scabbiest
  1. covered with scabs; having many scabs.

  2. consisting of scabs.

  3. (of an animal or plant) having scab.

  4. Informal. mean or contemptible.

    a scabby trick.


scabby British  
/ ˈskæbɪ /

adjective

  1. pathol having an area of the skin covered with scabs

  2. obsolete pathol having scabies

  3. informal despicable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of scabby

First recorded in 1520–30; scab + -y 1

Vocabulary lists containing scabby

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:

Some days were clean, and then some days he was scabby and flaking.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 5, 2025

"My daughter has a rash across her leg, which is scabby and itchy, and my eldest has anxiety and worries constantly about the mould."

From BBC Feb. 2, 2024

Brad Greer, 49, developed two scabby infections on each of his legs where rain boots had irritated his skin.

From New York Times Sep. 11, 2017

Beyond stored scabby remnants, smallpox may still exist in suspended animation within buried corpses or mummified human remains.

From Slate Jul. 11, 2014

Which is probably why Edna raises her scabby hand right away.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina

Thus, they would call their dogs and their asses by his name, and the dogs would be the scabbiest in the streets, and the asses the laziest in the market.

From The Scapegoat; a romance and a parable by Caine, Hall, Sir

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training