scur·vy
Ë?skÉ™r-vÄ“ 
: a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C and characterized by spongy gums, loosening of the teeth, and a bleeding into the skin and mucous membranes
Synonyms
Examples of scurvy in a Sentence
Adjective
after winning the lottery, she was beset by a whole scurvy swarm of con artists, ne'er-do-wells, and hangers-on
Recent Examples on the Web
Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 8 Dec. 2024
The average age of patients with scurvy was 2 years old.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
Richard Windsor, The Week Uk, theweek, 24 Oct. 2024
However, the good news is that scurvy is easy to combat and symptoms can be alleviated in as little as 24 hours.
—New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scurvy 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
When the men finally do unbutton their ruffled blouses, the women are greeted by signs of scurvy as well as a few abs.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 8 Dec. 2024
The average age of patients with scurvy was 2 years old.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Numerous factors are potentially fuelling a scurvy resurgence, notably nutrient-deficient diets.
—Richard Windsor, The Week Uk, theweek, 24 Oct. 2024
However, the good news is that scurvy is easy to combat and symptoms can be alleviated in as little as 24 hours.
—New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scurvy
Articles Related to scurvy
Dictionary Entries Near scurvy
Cite this Entry
“Scurvy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scurvy. Accessed 14 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
scurvy
1 of 2 noun
scur·vy
Ë?skÉ™r-vÄ“
: a disease caused by lack of vitamin C and characterized by loosening of the teeth, softening of the gums, and bleeding under the skin
Medical Definition
scurvy
noun
scur·vy
Ë?skÉ™r-vÄ“
plural scurvies
: a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C and characterized by spongy gums, loosening of the teeth, and bleeding into the skin and mucous membranes
called also scorbutus
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share