scabies
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
"This includes treatment delays, closer proximity post-pandemic and a societal stigma towards the condition, which could impact people's behaviour to seek treatment when they experience scabies," he said.
From BBC • Jan. 27, 2026
A woman who had scabies has described the experience as a "nightmare" as figures show a rise in reported cases of the parasitic infestation.
From BBC • Jan. 27, 2026
Rhodri Thomas, the National Pharmacy Association's Wales Manager, said scabies was "a distressing and highly infectious condition".
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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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.