scatty

American

[skat-ee] / ˈskæt i /

adjective

British Informal.

scattier, scattiest

scatterbrained.

scatty British

/ ˈskætɪ /

adjective

empty-headed, frivolous, or thoughtless
distracted (esp in drive someone scatty )

"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 scatty

1910–15; apparently scatt(erbrain) + -y ¹

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.

But this was not a case of Rach being scatty, instead it was the reality of living with ADHD.

From BBC • Jan. 17, 2024

I was expecting Andy, because of his fame, to be pretentious, but he was actually quite funny and scatty.

From New York Times • Nov. 12, 2018

Big Pig is loyal, sensible and stately, whereas Little Pig is scatty, selfish and lazy.

From Economist • Jul. 27, 2017

The day after Back to work at TV station where I do something for Britain Sits Up though can’t quite remember what as am still endearingly scatty.

From The Guardian • Oct. 23, 2016

The hat, pushed back on her forehead, gave Violet a scatty look.

From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023