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.

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scabby British  

/ ˈskæbɪ /

adjective

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

2. obsolete pathol having scabies

3. informal despicable

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Other Word Forms

• scabbily
  adverb
• scabbiness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of scabby

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

Example Sentences

Its Facebook page, run by a retired union organizer, lets various unions post photos of Scabby at protests around the country, and some rats feature QR codes that give people information about campaigns.

From Seattle Times • May 12, 2023

But in the era of TikTok and influencer culture, middle-aged Scabby faces a new challenge: staying relevant.

From Seattle Times • May 12, 2023

But Mike Piccirillo, president of Local 20 Carpenters Union, said a more recent addition to the union’s arsenal might overshadow Scabby.

From Seattle Times • May 12, 2023

Finally, they commissioned Big Sky Balloons to create a massive inflatable Scabby.

From The Verge • May 13, 2021

Scabby teats may be smeared with vaseline containing carbolic acid enough to give it an odor.

From Special Report on Diseases of Cattle by United States. Bureau of Animal Industry