adj
scabby
SKAB-ee
adj
1
Covered in scabs, or affected by a skin condition that causes them.
"The dog's scabby ears needed a trip to the vet."
2
Informal: shabby, mean, or of poor quality.
"He complained about the scabby wages the company paid."
How to Use Scabby
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLiterally covered in scabs, or informally used to mean cheap, mean, or unpleasant.
When to use it
The informal "cheap/mean" sense is mostly British slang.
Easily confused with
Word Forms
scabbier comparative, scabbiest superlative
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Etymology
From "scab" plus the adjective ending "-y"; a doublet of "shabby," which comes from the same root.