scab

noun \ ˈskab \

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Definition of scab

1 : scabies of domestic animals

2 : a crust of hardened blood and serum over a wound

3 a : a contemptible person

b (1) : a worker who refuses to join a labor union

(2) : a union member who refuses to strike or returns to work before a strike has ended

(3) : a worker who accepts employment or replaces a union worker during a strike

(4) : one who works for less than union wages or on nonunion terms

4 : any of various bacterial or fungus diseases of plants characterized by crustaceous spots; also : one of the spots

See scab defined for English-language learners

See scab defined for kids

Recent Examples of scab from the Web

Symptoms include itching, pain, small sores or blisters, ulcers and scabs.

— karen kaplan, chicagotribune.com, "Yes, President Trump, there is a difference between HIV and HPV. Here's a handy tipsheet," 21 May 2018
Symptoms include itching, pain, small sores or blisters, ulcers and scabs.

— karen kaplan, latimes.com, "Yes, President Trump, there is a difference between HIV and HPV. Here's a handy tipsheet," 19 May 2018
The workers’ union, Communications Workers of America, says the company is refusing to meet workers even part-way and has brought in replacement workers, or scabs.

— sarah jones, The New Republic, "The Pinkertons Still Never Sleep," 23 Mar. 2018
The blisters heal in a week or two to form crusty scabs that eventually fall off.

— jane e. brody, New York Times, "Why You Should Get the New Shingles Vaccine," 9 Apr. 2018
In 1934, a peaceful strike devolved into a riot when a mob of angry drivers began beating scabs and setting vehicles on fire all over the city.

— jessica pressler, Daily Intelligencer, "The Tragic End to a Longtime Black-Car Driver’s Campaign Against Uber," 15 May 2018
In the makeup trailer in Miami, a stylist painted a meth scab on Mr. Criss’s leg and everyone got in a van.

— michael schulman, New York Times, "Darren Criss Plays the Happy-Go-Lucky Killer in the Versace TV Drama," 12 Jan. 2018
The nearly 70-acre site has sat like an open scab on Charlotte's east side for nearly a decade.

— ely portillo, charlotteobserver, "Charlotte has ideas for saving the Eastland Mall site. But will any of them work? | Charlotte Observer," 26 Apr. 2018
For Daryl Rowe, a 1972 Walnut Hills High School graduate who has been a psychologist in Los Angeles for 30 years, pulling back the scab on the deep lynching wound can be a positive but painful process for African-Americans.

— mark curnutte, Cincinnati.com, "Six blacks lynched near Cincinnati among 4,400 named at a new memorial that opens Thursday," 25 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'scab.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of scab

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Swedish skabbr scab; akin to Old English sceabb scab, Latin scabere to scratch — more at shave

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

scab

verb

Definition of scab

scabbed; scabbing

intransitive verb

1 : to become covered with a scab

2 : to act as a scab

Recent Examples of scab from the Web

The blisters typically scab over in seven to 10 days, and can take up to four weeks to clear up.

— korin miller, SELF, "Yes, Shingles Is Contagious—Kind of," 17 July 2017

First Known Use of scab

1683

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

SCAB Defined for English Language Learners

scab

noun

Definition of scab for English Language Learners

: a hard covering of dried blood that forms over a wound to cover and protect it as it heals
: a worker who does not join a strike or who takes the place of another worker who is on strike

SCAB Defined for Kids

scab

noun \ ˈskab \

Definition of scab for Students

: a crust mostly of hardened blood that forms over and protects a sore or wound as it heals

Medical Dictionary

scab

noun \ ˈskab \

medical Definition of scab

1 : scabies of domestic animals

2 : a hardened covering of dried secretions (as blood, plasma, or pus) that forms over a wound — called also crust

—

scabby

play \-ē\ adjective scabbier; scabbiest

scab

intransitive verb

medical Definition of scab

scabbed; scabbing

: to become covered with a scab

the wound scabbed over

Law Dictionary

scab

noun

legal Definition of scab

1 : a worker who refuses to join a labor union

2 : a union member who refuses to strike or returns to work before a strike has ended

3 : a worker who accepts employment or replaces a union worker during a strike : strike breaker

4 : one who works for less than union wages or on nonunion terms

Learn More about scab

See words that rhyme with scab Spanish Central: Translation of scab Nglish: Translation of scab for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of scab for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about scab

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scab

Definition of scab

Recent Examples of scab from the Web

Origin and Etymology of scab

scab

Definition of scab

Recent Examples of scab from the Web

First Known Use of scab

SCAB Defined for English Language Learners

scab

Definition of scab for English Language Learners

SCAB Defined for Kids

scab

Definition of scab for Students

Medical Dictionary

scab

medical Definition of scab

scabby

scab

medical Definition of scab

Law Dictionary

scab

legal Definition of scab

Learn More about scab

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