/ ˈskɜːvi; NAmE ˈskɜːrvi/ noun
[ U ] a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C from not eating enough fruit and vegetables
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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).