prettygoodword: text: words are sexy (words are sexy)
prettygoodword ([personal profile] prettygoodword) wrote2015-10-30 07:45 am

scorbutic

scorbutic (skor-BYOO-tik) - adj., of, pertaining to, or afflicted by scurvy.


Which is a disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, required for making collagen. Which is why oranges are anti-scorbutic. Adopted around 1650 from Medical Latin scorbūticus, from scorbūtus scurvy, from French from French scorbut (which was also adopted earlier, in 1595, as scorbute), from either Dutch scheurbuik or Low German scharbock, of unknown Germanic root (Old English sceorf, scurf, seems to be related).

---L.

Post a comment in response:

This account has disabled anonymous posting.
If you don't have an account you can create one now.
HTML doesn't work in the subject.
More info about formatting