# scrimshaw

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈskɹɪmʃɔː/ · frequency rank #99,828

## Definitions
1. To create (a small ornamental handicraft also called a scrimshaw) by carving or engraving on bone (originally whalebone or whales' teeth), ivory, or other materials.
2. To carve or engrave (bone, ivory, or other materials) with ornamental designs.
3. To carve or engrave (ornamental designs) on bone, ivory, or other materials.
4. To make a handicraft of scrimshaw.

## Etymology
The origin of the verb is unknown, but it has possibly been influenced by the surname Scrimshaw. Various etymologies have been proposed (for example, that it derives from scrimshank (“(Britain, military slang) to be idle, to shirk duty”)), but the Oxford English Dictionary does not consider any of them convincing.
The noun is probably derived from the verb.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/scrimshaw