scurvy English · revision 1559

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1425}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈskɜːvi/ ''(UK)''; /ˈskɜɹvi/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the noun use of the adjective ''scurvy'' “covered with scurf” (early 15th century),^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) formed from [[scurf]] and the suffix [[-y]], at first only a variant of [[scurfy]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) As the name of the disease it was influenced by the similar-sounding [[nl|scheurbuik]] and [[fr|scorbut]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) The source of these is debated: Barnhart and Etymonline cite [[non|skyrbjúgr]], perhaps “a swelling from sour milk”,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) the OED a Low German compound meaning “disease that tears the belly”,^(Etymonline) and Klein [[la-med|scorbūtus]], which he takes from a Russian word for “scraping”.^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ As an adjective, covered with scurf, scabby (1515 in the OED; before 1529 in the Historical Thesaurus);^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) as the name of the disease, about 1565.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 16th century the disease name varied with ''scorbute'', ''scurby'' and ''scorby'', and sailors took it for a “scurvy” disease.^(Weekley 1921) Before its cause was known the word also covered other diseases with similar symptoms.^(RHWU) The figurative adjective, “sorry, worthless, contemptible”, is recorded from 1579,^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) much as [[shabby]] literally meant scabby.^(Weekley 1921) Johnson (1755) illustrates this sense with Shakespeare: “This is a very scurvy tune to sing to a man's funeral”.^(Johnson 1755) The disease was later found to be caused by a lack of [[vitamin C]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1425 – adjective, scurfy (Barnhart).^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1515 – covered with scurf.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1565 – the disease.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1579 – contemptible, worthless.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1604 – a disease of cattle.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A disease caused by a lack of [[vitamin C]], marked by spongy, bleeding [[gum|alt=gums]], bleeding under the skin and great weakness.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Mean or [[contemptible]], as in ''a scurvy trick''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Covered with [[scurf]]; scabby.^(MWU 2024)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[scurvily]]

+ * [[scurviness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[scorbutic]]

+ * [[scurf]]

+ * [[shabby]]

+ * [[ascorbic]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}