scurf

S1C3U1R1F4
/skɜː(ɹ)f/

noun

A skin disease.

Similar
dandruffscumscaleexfoliation
OriginOld English scurf ← Proto-Germanic *skurf- ← Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- →
RareScrabble 10
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Meanings

scurf1

nounscurf (countable and uncountable, plural scurfs)

plural scurfs

  1. countableuncountableA skin disease.
  2. countableuncountableThe flakes of skin that fall off as a result of a skin disease.

    Synonyms: dandruff

  3. countableuncountableAny crust-like formations on the skin, or in general.

    There ſtood a Hill not far whoſe frieſly top / Belch'd fire and rowling ſmoak; the reſt entire / Shon with a gloſſie ſcurff, undoubted ſign / That in his womb was hid metallic Ore,

    1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 670–673
  4. countablefigurativelyuncountableThe foul remains of anything adherent.

    The Scurf is worn away, of each committed Crime

    1697, Virgil, “The Sixth Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 392, line 1011

    Synonyms: scum

  5. countableuncountablebiologyMinute membranous scales on the surface of some leaves, as in the goosefoot.
  6. countableobsoleteslanguncountableA low, mean person.

scurf2

nounscurf (plural scurfs)

plural scurfs

  1. A grey bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus).

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe flakes of skin that fall off as a result of a skin disease.

Similar
dandruff

nounThe foul remains of anything adherent.

Similar
scum

More synonyms by meaning

nouna thin flake of dead epidermis shed from the surface of the skin

Similar
scaleexfoliation
Broader
bitchipflake
Also see
dandruffexfoliationscale

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)ker-“to cut off, sever; to divide, separate”
  2. Proto-Germanic*skurf-“to gnaw”
  3. Old Englishscurf
  4. Englishscurf

From scurf (“skin disease causing scabs or scales; flakes of skin that fall off due to a skin disease, etc.”), from Old English scurf, from Proto-Germanic *skurf- (“to gnaw”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut off, sever; to divide, separate”). Cognate with Dutch schurft, German Schorf, Danish skurv, Swedish skorv.

More words from Old English, Proto-Germanic, Proto-Indo-European

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἄχωρ
  • ἄχωρ (ákhōr)flakes of skin
Bengali মরামাস, খুশকি
  • মরামাস (moramaś)flakes of skin
  • খুশকি (khuśoki)flakes of skin
Bulgarian пърхот
  • пърхот (părhot)flakes of skin
Czech lupy
  • lupyflakes of skin
Greek πιτυρίδα
  • πιτυρίδα (pityrída)flakes of skin
Irish gainne
  • gainneflakes of skin
Italian crosta
  • crostaflakes of skin
Japanese ふけ, かさぶた
  • ふけ (fuke)flakes of skin
  • かさぶた (kasabuta)flakes of skin
Māori inaho, pakitea
  • inahoflakes of skin
  • pakiteaflakes of skin
  • māihiihiflakes of skin
  • māungaungaflakes of skin
Tagalog balikuskos
  • balikuskosflakes of skin
Welsh marwdon, sgrwff
  • marwdonflakes of skin
  • sgrwffflakes of skin
  • cenflakes of skin

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with scurf

earthsurfPerthturfnerfsmurfdeartherfMRFMurphserfkerfdurfsnurfterf
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

scurf. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scurf

MLA

“scurf.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scurf. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “scurf,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scurf.

Source: scurf on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.