scalp
Americannoun
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scalps
plural
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the integument of the upper part of the head, usually including the associated subcutaneous structures.
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a part of this integument with the accompanying hair, severed from the head of an enemy as a sign of victory, as by some North American Indians and others during the colonial and frontier periods in the U.S.
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any token of victory.
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the integument on the top of the head of an animal.
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Informal. a small profit made in quick buying and selling.
verb (used with object)
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scalps,
present (3rd person singular)
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scalped,
past participle, past
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scalping
present participle
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to cut or tear the scalp from.
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Informal.
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to resell (tickets, merchandise, etc.) at higher than the official rates.
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to buy and sell (stocks) so as to make small quick profits.
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to plane down the surfaces of (an ingot, billet, or slab).
verb (used without object)
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scalps,
present (3rd person singular)
-
scalped,
past participle, past
-
scalping
present participle
noun
-
anatomy the skin and subcutaneous tissue covering the top of the head
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(among North American Indians) a part of this removed as a trophy from a slain enemy
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a trophy or token signifying conquest
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hunting a piece of hide cut from the head of a victim as a trophy or as proof of killing in order to collect a bounty
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informal a small speculative profit taken in quick transactions
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dialect a projection of bare rock from vegetation
verb
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to cut the scalp from
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informal to purchase and resell (securities) quickly so as to make several small profits
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informal to buy (tickets) cheaply and resell at an inflated price
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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scalpsimple
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scalpssimple
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have scalpedperfect
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has scalpedperfect
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am scalpingprogressive
-
are scalpingprogressive
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is scalpingprogressive
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have been scalpingperfect progressive
-
has been scalpingperfect progressive
Past
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scalpedsimple
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had scalpedperfect
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was scalpingprogressive
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were scalpingprogressive
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had been scalpingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of scalp
1250–1300; Middle English (north) (noun), perhaps < Old Norse skālpr sheath (hence, metaphorically a covering)
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:
A companion study examining the same participants identified significant differences in hair and scalp health among people taking GLP-1 medications.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
Most users who reported shedding also experienced other scalp symptoms, including itching, redness or flaking skin.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
But she wasn’t ready to undergo a coronal brow lift, an invasive procedure that involves making a sizable incision along the scalp and lifting all the skin on the forehead.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Don't forget your hairline and any partings to protect your scalp.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
And, really—if the Incorrigibles were in some kind of danger, why waste time worrying about the condition of Penelope’s scalp?
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
There is no escape: Garbagemen find them in their shoes at night; or writhing in their arm hair; or embedded in their scalps.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
State laws restricting private-equity involvement in the medical sector have taken their first scalps, as authorities signal an aggressive approach to enforcement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
They claimed some impressive scalps along the way - beating Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in the league phase before winning both legs against last season's finalists Inter Milan in the knockout play-offs.
From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2026
Qarabag had taken the scalps of Benfica and Eintracht Frankfurt in the league phase to make the play-off round and at least salvaged some pride with two goals in the second period.
From Barron's ● Feb. 24, 2026
When he saw the roomful of bare scalps, though, he immediately got kind of a grim facial expression.
From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick
“In fact, the exhibitors set the price and, frankly, with tickets at Lincoln Square being scalped for $1,000, I think there’s room to move up the prices for a film.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
The pitted road surface was scalped by a 30-tonne machine planer and the debris swept out before a bitumen emulsion binder was sprayed ahead of the laying of fresh asphalt.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
“This worthy president,” retorted Biddle in 1834, “thinks that because he has scalped Indians and imprisoned judges, he is to have his way with the Bank. He is mistaken.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
Carnegie tickets are being scalped for as much as $850.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2024
The lords clasped their bare heads as if they'd been scalped.
From "The Whipping Boy" by Sid Fleischman
On the scalping site StubHub, tickets for the BTS shows in Mexico are going for as much as $13,000.
From Barron's ● May 5, 2026
Washington’s intention to wage a humane and gentlemanly war for American independence was subsumed by proliferating mayhem, especially on the remote frontiers, where practices such as scalping were well established.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 9, 2026
“People were literally scalping for Thrillers tickets,” he says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 9, 2025
Such is the effect of Swift's current Eras Tour that she has crashed ticketing sites, experts have coined a new 'Swiftonomics' trend, and places like Victoria in Australia have rushed through scalping law reform.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2023
Tell everybody, when you write your story, that they’re scalping our souls out here.”
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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