scab

Where does the word "scab" come from? It comes from Old Norse skabb, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).

Scab’s story begins in Old Norse: skabb meant “a skin crust, a scurf.” A skin disease or crust, related to scratching or scraping. It reached English by 1300s as scab. Settled as the English word for the crust forming over a healing wound. Today, scab means a dry, crusty area forming over a healing wound.

1. Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval skabb "a skin crust, a scurf", a skin disease or crust, related to scratching or scraping.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1300s scab "a crust forming over a healing wound", settled as the English word for the crust forming over a healing wound.