Definition of scalp
1a : the part of the integument of the human head usually covered with hair in both sexesb : the part of an animal (such as a wolf or fox) corresponding to the human scalp
2a : a part of the human scalp with attached hair cut or torn from an enemy as a token of victoryb : a trophy of victory or accomplishment
3 chiefly Scotland : a projecting mass of bare ground or rock
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of scalp from the Web
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Electrodes are placed on the surface of the scalp to detect brain waves.
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The 21-month-old little girl is believed to be one of only about 100 children in the entire world who have a rare scalp and hair shaft disorder called Uncombable Hair Syndrome.
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Last year, amid the investigation, the agency tallied 1,386 more complaints of hair loss and scalp irritation.
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Drag Race pulled me out of a winter funk, like some dusty wig snatched from a queen's scalp.
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A political scalp like Grieco’s couldn’t hurt her chances.
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His sled passed under a moving car and shot out the other side safely, but the car’s underside sheared his scalp.
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So now his working salon doubles as a Smithsonian for scalps.
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Yes, Mankato is only 80 miles from the Walker, but the sculpture garden is only 10 miles from the Capitol, current site of a state government that issued bounties for Indian scalps and forced the Dakota into exile.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'scalp.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of scalp
Middle English, crown of the head, perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse skālpr sheath; akin to Middle Dutch schelpe shell
scalp
Definition of scalp
transitive verb
1a : to deprive of the scalpb : to remove an upper part from
2 : to remove a desired constituent from and discard the rest
3 : to buy and sell so as to make small quick profits scalp stocks scalp grain; especially : to resell at greatly increased prices scalp theater tickets
intransitive verb
1 : to take scalps
2 : to profit by slight market fluctuations
scalper
nounExamples of scalp in a Sentence
Some members of the tribe were scalped by the attacking warriors.
Recent Examples of scalp from the Web
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New York and California have laws that make bots designed to capture event tickets illegal, and the federal BOTS Act of 2016 made bot ticket scalping illegal.
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Gov. John Kasich has issued warnings about a budget shortfall in Ohio which could tempt politicians to scalp services in chunks to balance the budget.
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On April 7, undercover officers cited a man for illegally scalping tickets to the Colorado Rockies home opener outside Coors Field at 20th and Blake streets.
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Europe’s top Olympic official, arrested at an oceanside hotel here this week for scalping tickets to the Rio Games, has been denied bail and sent to Rio’s Bangu Penitentiary Complex, a maximum-security jail.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'scalp.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of scalp
1676
Financial Definition of SCALP
scalp
What It Is
How It Works
In the case of market manipulation, scalpers may buy a security, then recommend the security to investors and take a profit on the difference between their price and the sales price once the market demand raises the price.
Scalpers may also act as market makers, making a spread between the bid price and the ask price of a security. The role of market makers is to provide liquidity in the trading of securities, taking bids and settling on prices. The profits are realized from the difference between the ask price and the bid price on a security. The arbitrage gain on these spreads is usually small and short-term.
Why It Matters
Scalping to profit from the increase in the price of a security as a result of manipulating the market is a fraud under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940. The prohibition applies to registered and unregistered investment advisors.
The scalper's business actually overlaps and competes with the designated market maker. However, because the market maker is usually designated by the exchange and has specific, proprietary information about the security, and has substantial capital resources, the general scalper is at a disadvantage.
SCALP Defined for English Language Learners
scalp
playDefinition of scalp for English Language Learners
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: the skin on the top of your head where hair grows
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: hair and skin that is cut or torn from the head of an enemy as a sign of victory
scalp
Definition of scalp for English Language Learners
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: to remove the hair and skin from the head of (an enemy) as a sign of victory
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: to buy tickets for an event and resell them at a much higher price
SCALP Defined for Kids
Definition of scalp for Students
: the part of the skin of the head usually covered with hair
Medical Dictionary
scalp
playMedical Definition of scalp
: the part of the integument of the head usually covered with hair in both sexes
Law Dictionary
scalp
Legal Definition of scalp
: to buy and sell so as to make small quick profits scalp stocks; especially : to resell at greatly increased prices
intransitive verb
scalper
nounLearn More about scalp
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See words that rhyme with scalp Spanish Central: Translation of scalp Nglish: Translation of scalp for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of scalp for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about scalp
Seen and Heard
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