scurfy

/ˈskɜː(ɹ)fi/

//ˈskɜː(ɹ)fi// adj

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

The verdict

“scurfy” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Characterized by scurf; covered with scurf.

Corpus desk

Index EN-scurfy · scurfy · English

scurfy · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "S" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for scurfy
PropertyValue
Headwordscurfy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈskɜː(ɹ)fi/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “scurfy” in English

scurfyfalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

scurfy is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈskɜː(ɹ)fi/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Characterized by scurf; covered with scurf.".

No misspelling variants are generated for scurfy in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From scurf + -y. The correct English form is scurfy, spelled S-C-U-R-F-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Characterized by scurf; covered with scurf.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Many of these natives, especially the lower classes, and fishermen, have their skins disfigured in a singular manner, by a sort of scurfy disease, similar to the ring-worm, or rather to a person whose skin was peeling off from the effects of the sun.
  2. "[A]nd who do you think were sittting there? Why, my mother and your father of course, both mending boots; and all of a sudden my mother gave your father such a blow with an old boot, that the scurf flew out of his hair!" "There you tell a lie," shouted the princess; "my father never was scurfy!"

Etymology

From scurf + -y.

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

How do you spell "scurfy"?
"scurfy" is spelled S-C-U-R-F-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈskɜː(ɹ)fi/.
What does "scurfy" mean?
As an adjective, "scurfy" means: Characterized by scurf; covered with scurf.
How do you pronounce "scurfy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scurfy" is /ˈskɜː(ɹ)fi/. 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 "scurfy"?
From scurf + -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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list