scabies

American  

[skey-beez, -bee-eez] / ˈskeɪ biz, -biˌiz /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. a contagious skin disease occurring especially in sheep and cattle and also in humans, caused by the itch mite, Sarcoptes scabiei, which burrows under the skin.

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scabies British  

/ -bɪˌiːz, ˌskeɪbɪˈɛtɪk, ˈskeɪbiːz /

noun

1. a contagious skin infection caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, characterized by intense itching, inflammation, and the formation of vesicles and pustules

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Other Word Forms

• scabietic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of scabies

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin scabiēs “roughness, itch,” from scabere “to scratch, scrape”; see also shave

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

scabies

The problems emerged after he developed a spine infection following repeated scabies exposures, according to a ruling to release him by an Israeli military court viewed by the Journal, and an accompanying doctor’s report.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Physicians for Human Rights Israel also found new outbreaks of scabies in five detention centers, according to a letter it sent to the prison service that was viewed by the Journal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

"If it's ongoing then there is a medicine called ivermectin. But the majority of people can still clear scabies with topical treatments that you can get over-the-counter at the pharmacy."

From BBC ● Jan. 27, 2026

Sasha McCabe, 25, from London, said she felt her time with scabies was "never going to end" after trying a variety of treatments during a 16-month period.

From BBC ● Jan. 27, 2026

We can never see the legs of the scabies mite, but we can tell from the fact that it moves that it must have legs or something similar.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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