n. 1 a person who seeks and collects discarded items. 2 an animal, esp. a beetle, feeding on carrion, refuse, etc. 3 Brit. archaic a person employed to clean the streets etc. scavengery n.
[ ME scavager f. AF scawager f. scawage f. ONF escauwer inspect f. Flem. scauwen, rel. to SHOW: for -n- cf. MESSENGER ]