n.
a disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, characterized by swollen bleeding gums and the opening of previously healed wounds.
adj.
(scurvier, scurviest)
archaic worthless or contemptible.
Derivative
Etymology
ME (as adj. meaning ‘scurfy’): from scurf + -y1; n. use is by assoc. with Fr. scorbut (see scorbutic).
