scummy

/ˈskʌmi/

//ˈskʌmi// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"scummy" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“scummy” is uncommon English (frequency #61,798 among 6,566 “S” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#61,798
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Covered in scum.

Corpus desk

Index EN-scummy · scummy · English

scummy · rank #61,798 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #61,798
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH scriptwriter

Nearest frequency peer: scriptwriter (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “scummy”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “scummy” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for scummy
PropertyValue
Headwordscummy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈskʌmi/
Letters6
Frequency rank#61,798
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “scummy” sits in English frequency

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).scummy lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

scummy is uncommon English at frequency #61,798 among 6,566 “S” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈskʌmi/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for scummy in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From scum + -y. The correct English form is scummy, spelled S-C-U-M-M-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Covered in scum.
  2. 2
    sleazy, worthless, no good

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how scummy appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. We have to wash your trousers: they're all scummy.
  2. Now that the sun was getting high it drew thin sickly looking clouds of poisonous vapour from the surface of the marsh and from the scummy pools of stagnant water.

Etymology

From scum + -y.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "scummy"?
"scummy" is spelled S-C-U-M-M-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈskʌmi/.
What does "scummy" mean?
As an adjective, "scummy" means: Covered in scum.
How do you pronounce "scummy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scummy" is /ˈskʌmi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "scummy"?
From scum + -y. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "scummy", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Seaver#61,799smidge#61,820ridged#61,774spiffy#61,827

What to do next

You've looked up "scummy". Here's where to go from here.

  • Usage frequency rank #61,798 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "S" letter cohort. S–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list