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PlainSpell

scratch

/skɹæt͡ʃ/verb, noun, adjective

scratch is spelled S-C-R-A-T-C-H: 7 letters and one syllable. It appears 14 times per million words in written English, the 5,496th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, scratch means “To rub a surface with a sharp object, especially by a living creature to remove itching with nails, claws, etc” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in scratch?

Letters7: S-C-R-A-T-C-H
Syllables1 (from its American pronunciation)
In writing14 times per million words; the 5,496th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is scratch?

Scratch appears 14 times per million words in written English, the 5,496th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce scratch?

  • /skɹæt͡ʃ/

Scratch has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-scratch.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of scratch

  • scratches present, singular, he/she/it, plural
  • scratching participle, present
  • scratched participle, past

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does scratch mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

verb

  1. 1

    To rub a surface with a sharp object, especially by a living creature to remove itching with nails, claws, etc.

    Could you please scratch my back?

  2. 2

    To rub the skin with rough material causing a sensation of irritation; to cause itching.

    I don't like that new scarf because it scratches my neck.

  3. 3

    To irritate someone's skin with one's unshaven beard when kissing.

  4. 4

    To mark a surface with a sharp object, thereby leaving a scratch (noun).

    A real diamond can easily scratch a pane of glass.

  5. 5

    To get such scratches.

    This platter scratches easily.

  6. 6

    To cross out, strike out, strike through some text on a page.

  7. 7

    Hence, to remove, ignore, or delete.

    Scratch what I said earlier; I was wrong.

  8. 8

    To produce a distinctive sound on a turntable by moving a vinyl record back and forth while manipulating the crossfader (see also scratching).

noun

  1. 1

    A disruption, mark or shallow cut on a surface made by scratching.

    I can’t believe there is a scratch in the paint already.

  2. 2

    An act of scratching the skin to alleviate an itch or irritation.

    The dog sat up and had a good scratch.

  3. 3

    A starting line (originally and simply, a line scratched in the ground), as in boxing.

  4. 4

    A technical error of touching or surpassing the starting mark prior to the official start signal in the sporting events of long jump, discus, hammer throw, shot put, and similar. Originally the starting mark was a scratch on the ground but is now a board or precisely indicated mark.

  5. 5

    The last riders to depart in a handicap race.

  6. 6

    A foul in pool, as where the cue ball is put into a pocket or jumps off the table.

  7. 7

    USarchaicslangA shot which scores by chance and not as intended by the player; a fluke.

  8. 8

    A horse withdrawn from a race prior to the start.

    There were two scratches in race 8, which reduced the field from nine horses to seven.

adjective

  1. 1

    For or consisting of preliminary or tentative, incomplete, etc. work.

    This is scratch paper, so go ahead and scribble whatever you want on it.

  2. 2

    Hastily assembled, arranged or constructed, from whatever materials are to hand, with little or no preparation

  3. 3

    Relating to a scratchpad, a data structure or recording medium attached to a machine for testing or temporary use.

    scratch memory

  4. 4

    (of a player) Of a standard high enough to play without a handicap, i.e. to compete without the benefit of a variation in scoring based on ability.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Scratch in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchgratter (rub a surface with a sharp object), égratigner (rub the skin with rough material), piquer (irritate someone's skin with one's unshaven…), rayer (mark a surface with a sharp object), biffer (remove, ignore, or delete), éraflure (disruption or mark on a surface)
Germankratzen (rub a surface with a sharp object), zerkratzen, verkratzen (mark a surface with a sharp object), Kratzer (disruption or mark on a surface)
Portuguesecoçar, rascar, raspar (rub a surface with a sharp object), arranhar (rub the skin with rough material), picar (irritate someone's skin with one's unshaven…), arranhão (disruption or mark on a surface)
Spanishrascar (rub a surface with a sharp object), raspar (rub the skin with rough material), arañar, rasguñar, rayar (mark a surface with a sharp object), arañazo (disruption or mark on a surface)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does scratch come from?

From Middle English scracchen, of uncertain origin. Potentially a blend of Middle English scratten (“to scratch”) and cracchen (“to scratch”). More at scrat and cratch. Compare Old English scrama, Old Norse skråma, German Schramme (“scratch”), which may be related.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

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