Scurvy is a disease that is caused by a lack of vitamin C.
More Synonyms of scurvy
scurvy in British English
(ˈskɜːvɪ)
noun
1.
a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C, characterized by anaemia, spongy gums, bleeding beneath the skin, and (in infants) malformation of bones and teeth
▶ Related adjective: scorbutic
adjectiveWord forms: -vier or -viest
2.
mean or despicable
a scurvy knave
Derived forms
scurvily (ˈscurvily)
adverb
scurviness (ˈscurviness)
noun
Word origin
C16: see scurf
scurvy in American English
(ˈskɜrvi)
adjectiveWord forms: ˈscurvier or ˈscurviest
1. Obsolete
scurfy
2.
low; mean; vile; contemptible
noun
3.
a disease resulting from a deficiency of ascorbic acid in the body, characterized by weakness, anemia, spongy gums, bleeding from the mucous membranes, etc.
Derived forms
scurvily (ˈscurvily)
adverb
scurviness (ˈscurviness)
noun
Word origin
< scurf
Examples of 'scurvy' in a sentence
scurvy
It took many years before it was realized that adding citrus fruits to the diet of men at sea would keep scurvy at bay.
Hunter, Carol The Vitamin Fact Finder (1987)
And you didn't get scurvy?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Presumably these poor malnourished souls are therefore more likely to get scurvy and rickets - or to be stuffed up a chimney.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Word lists with
scurvy
Human diseases
(adjective)
Definition
deserving contempt
(old-fashioned)
It was a scurvy trick to play.
Synonyms
contemptible
Her husband is a contemptible little man.
It was an utterly contemptible thing to do.
mean
Upstaging the bride was a particularly mean trick.
bad
I felt that I was a selfish, ungrateful, and generally bad person.
low
That was a really low trick.
base
Love has the power to overcome the baser emotions.
rotten (informal)
You rotten swine!
sorry
She is in a sorry state.
worthless
Murphy was an evil, worthless man.
shabby
It was hard to know why the man deserved such shabby treatment.
vile
a vile and despicable crime
low-down (informal)
They will stoop to every low-down trick.
pitiful
a pitiful performance
abject
an abject traitor
despicable
He said it was a despicable crime.
dishonourable
He insisted he had done nothing dishonourable.
ignoble
an ignoble episode from their country's past
scabby (informal)
related words
related adjectivescorbutic
Seevile
Nearby words of
scurvy
scurrility
scurrilous
scurry
scurvy
scuttle
sea
sea bird
Synonyms of 'scurvy'
scurvy
Explore 'scurvy' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of despicable
Definition
deserving contempt
He said it was a despicable crime.
Synonyms
contemptible,
mean,
low,
base,
cheap (informal),
infamous,
degrading,
worthless,
disgraceful,
shameful,
vile,
sordid,
pitiful,
abject,
hateful,
reprehensible,
ignominious,
disreputable,
wretched,
scurvy (old-fashioned),
detestable,
scungy (Australian, New Zealand),
beyond contempt
in the sense of dishonourable
He insisted he had done nothing dishonourable.
Synonyms
shameful,
base,
corrupt,
infamous,
disgraceful,
treacherous,
scandalous,
unscrupulous,
shameless,
despicable,
ignominious,
disreputable,
contemptible,
untrustworthy,
unprincipled,
ignoble,
not cricket (informal),
discreditable,
blackguardly
in the sense of ignoble
Definition
dishonourable
an ignoble episode from their country's past
Synonyms
dishonourable,
low,
base,
mean,
petty,
infamous,
degraded,
craven,
disgraceful,
shabby,
vile,
degenerate,
abject,
unworthy,
shameless,
despicable,
heinous,
dastardly (old-fashioned),
contemptible,
wretched
in the sense of low
Definition
unworthy or contemptible
That was a really low trick.
Synonyms
contemptible,
mean,
base,
nasty,
cowardly,
degraded,
vulgar,
vile,
sordid,
abject,
unworthy,
despicable,
depraved,
menial,
reprehensible,
dastardly (old-fashioned),
scurvy (old-fashioned),
servile,
unprincipled,
dishonourable,
ignoble
in the sense of low-down
Definition
mean, underhand, and dishonest
They will stoop to every low-down trick.
Synonyms
mean,
low,
base,
cheap (informal),
nasty,
ugly,
despicable,
reprehensible,
contemptible,
underhand,
scurvy (old-fashioned)
in the sense of mean
Definition
ashamed
Upstaging the bride was a particularly mean trick.
Synonyms
dishonourable,
base,
petty,
degraded,
disgraceful,
shameful,
shabby,
vile,
degenerate,
callous,
sordid,
abject,
despicable,
narrow-minded,
contemptible,
wretched,
scurvy (old-fashioned),
ignoble,
hard-hearted,
scungy (Australian, New Zealand),
low-minded
in the sense of pitiful
Definition
arousing or deserving great pity or contempt
a pitiful performance
Synonyms
worthless,
base,
sorry,
vile,
abject,
scurvy (old-fashioned)
in the sense of rotten
You rotten swine!
Synonyms
despicable,
mean,
base,
dirty,
nasty,
unpleasant,
filthy,
vile,
wicked,
disagreeable,
contemptible,
scurrilous,
shitty (taboo, slang)
in the sense of shabby
Definition
behaving in a mean or unfair way
It was hard to know why the man deserved such shabby treatment.