scurf

English

Etymology

From Old English sceorf, from Proto-Germanic *skurf (“to gnaw”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut”). Cf German Schorf, Danish skurv, Swedish skorv.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)f

Noun

scurf (countable and uncountable, plural scurfs)

1. A skin disease.
2. The flakes of skin that fall off as a result of a skin disease.
3. Any crust-like formations on the skin, or in general.
   • Milton

     There stood a hill not far, whose grisly top / Belched fire and rolling smoke; the rest entire / Shone with a glossy scurf.

4. (figuratively) The foul remains of anything adherent.
   • Dryden

     The scurf is worn away of each committed crime.

5. (botany) Minute membranous scales on the surface of some leaves, as in the goosefoot.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Gray to this entry?)

Translations

flakes of skin

• Crimean Tatar: (for hair) kebek
• Czech: lupy (cs) m pl
• Greek: (of the scalp) πιτυρίδα (el) f (pityrída)
• Italian: crosta (it) f

• Japanese: ふけ (fuke), かさぶた (ja) (kasabuta)
• Maori: inaho
• Tagalog: balikuskos