scabrous

Aug. 16th, 2013 07:14 am
prettygoodword: text: words are sexy (words are sexy)
[personal profile] prettygoodword
scabrous (SKAB-ruhs) - adj., having a rough surface because covered with minute projections or roughened patches; difficult, knotty; dealing with suggestive, indecent, or scandalous themes, salacious, squalid.


Adopted around 1580 from Latin scabrōsus, from scaber, scurfy/scabby/rough -- so the scabbed-over skin sense is first. The last sense is by far the most common today, and I've never seen it used in the middle sense at all.

---L.

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