SCURVY


Meaning of SCURVY in English

/ ˈskɜːvi; NAmE ˈskɜːrvi/ noun

[ U ] a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C from not eating enough fruit and vegetables

••

WORD ORIGIN

late Middle English (as an adjective meaning flaky skin ): from scurf + -y . The current noun use (mid 16th cent.) is by association with French scorbut from modern Latin scorbuticus , from medieval Latin scorbutus scurvy, perhaps from Middle Low German schorbūk (from schoren to break + būk belly).

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.