scum
/skʌm/noun, verb
scum is spelled S-C-U-M: 4 letters and one syllable. It appears 5.1 times per million words in written English, the 11,015th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, scum means “A layer of impurities that accumulates at the surface of a liquid (especially molten metal or water)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of scum is scums.
How many letters and syllables are in scum?
| Letters | 4: S-C-U-M |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 5.1 times per million words; the 11,015th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none 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 scum?
Scum appears 5.1 times per million words in written English, the 11,015th 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 scum?
- /skʌm/
Scum 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-scum.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of scum
- scums plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- scumming participle, present
- scummed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does scum mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A layer of impurities that accumulates at the surface of a liquid (especially molten metal or water).
During smelting, scum rises to the surface and is then removed by the smelter.
- 2
A greenish water vegetation (such as algae), usually found floating on the surface of ponds
These organisms form scum in large quantities.
- 3
The topmost liquid layer of a cesspool or septic tank.
- 4
USslangSemen.
- 5
derogatoryslangA reprehensible person or persons.
People who sell used-up pens are scum, just total low-lives.
verb
- 1
To remove the layer of scum from (a liquid etc.).
- 2
To remove (something) as scum.
- 3
To become covered with scum.
- 4
obsoleteTo scour (the land, sea, etc.).
- 5
obsoleteTo gather together, as scum.
- 6
informalTo startscum or savescum.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Scum in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | écume, couche, mousse, crasse , ordure, salaud |
| German | Abschaum, Schwimmschlamm, Rand , Algenteppich, Entengrütze |
| Portuguese | escória |
| Spanish | escoria , gentuza, canalla , telilla, verdín |
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 scum come from?
From Middle English scum, scome, skum, skome, scumme, from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch schūme (“foam”), from Old Dutch *scūm, from Frankish *skūm, from Proto-Germanic *skūmaz (“froth, foam”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewH- (“to cover, conceal”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).