Meanings
scruff1
plural scruffs
- countableuncountableSomeone with an untidy appearance.
That candidate will never get the job: he's a right scruff.
- countableuncountableStubble, facial hair (on males).
- countableobsoleteuncountableCrust.
- countableobsoleteuncountableScurf.
scruff2
plural scruffs
- The loose skin at the back of the neck of some animals.
- rareThe back of the neck, nape; also scruff of the neck.
He grabbed his unruly child by the scruff of the neck, and took him home.
present singular third person scruffs · participle present scruffing · participle past scruffed · past scruffed
- transitiveTo lift or carry by the scruff.
She gently scruffed the kitten who was trying to climb her leg.
2023, Anastasia Ryan, You Should Smile More
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
scruff · noun, verb
1790, from earlier (1787) scuft and dialect scuff, influenced by scruff (“crust”). Related to North Frisian skuft (“back of the neck of a horse”) and Dutch schoft (“withers (of a horse)”), from Proto-Germanic. Compare also Old Norse skopt (“hair of the head”), Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌿𐍆𐍄 (skuft, “hair of the head”), Middle High German schopf (German Schopf).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian мърльо, тил
- мърльо (mărljo)Someone with an untidy appearance
- тил (til)scruff of the neck
Catalan clotell
- clotellscruff of the neck
Czech špindíra, vagabund
- špindíraSomeone with an untidy appearance
- vagabundSomeone with an untidy appearance
- šupákSomeone with an untidy appearance
- zátylekloose skin at the back of the neck of some animals
- zátylekscruff of the neck
Finnish törkimys, epäsiisti henkilö
- törkimysSomeone with an untidy appearance
- epäsiisti henkilöSomeone with an untidy appearance
- niskanahkaloose skin at the back of the neck of some animals
- niskavillatscruff of the neck
German Schmutzfink, Schlafittchen
- SchmutzfinkSomeone with an untidy appearance
- Schlafittchenscruff of the neck
- Genickscruff of the neck
Icelandic hnakkadramb
- hnakkadrambloose skin at the back of the neck of some animals
Norwegian Bokmål nakkeskinn
- nakkeskinnloose skin at the back of the neck of some animals
Polish brudas, niedomytek
- brudasSomeone with an untidy appearance
- niedomytekSomeone with an untidy appearance
- kocmołuchSomeone with an untidy appearance
- flejaSomeone with an untidy appearance
- flejtuchSomeone with an untidy appearance
- prosięSomeone with an untidy appearance
- świntuchSomeone with an untidy appearance
- szuszwolSomeone with an untidy appearance
- niechlujSomeone with an untidy appearance
- luźna skóra na karkuloose skin at the back of the neck of some animals
- karkscruff of the neck
Portuguese cangote
- cangoteloose skin at the back of the neck of some animals
Russian загри́вок, шки́рка
- загри́вок (zagrívok)loose skin at the back of the neck of some animals
- шки́рка (škírka)scruff of the neck
Spanish zarrapastroso, pescuezo
- zarrapastrosoSomeone with an untidy appearance
- pescuezoloose skin at the back of the neck of some animals
- pescuezoscruff of the neck
Swedish nackskinnet
- nackskinnetloose skin at the back of the neck of some animals
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with scruff
Cite this entry
scruff. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scruff
“scruff.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scruff. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “scruff,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scruff.
Source: scruff on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.