scrofulous
/ˈskɹɒfjʊləs/
"scrofulous" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“scrofulous” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 10
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of, related to, or suffering from scrofula (form of tuberculosis tending to cause enlarged lymph nodes and skin inflammation).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | scrofulous |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /ˈskɹɒfjʊləs/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “scrofulous” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
scrofulous is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈskɹɒfjʊləs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.
Zero misspellings are on record for scrofulous in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from New Latin scrōfulōsus. Surface analysis: scrofula + -ous. The correct English form is scrofulous, spelled S-C-R-O-F-U-L-O-U-S.
Definition
- 1Of, related to, or suffering from scrofula (form of tuberculosis tending to cause enlarged lymph nodes and skin inflammation).
- 2Having an unkempt, unhealthy appearance.
- 3Morally degenerate; corrupt.
Etymology
Borrowed from New Latin scrōfulōsus. Surface analysis: scrofula + -ous.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “scrofulous”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is S-C-R-O-F-U-L-O-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈskɹɒfjʊləs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.