scraggly
UK: ˈskræɡli | US: ˈskræɡli
adj. 1. (of hair, plants, or appearance) thin, uneven, or untidy in a way that suggests neglect.
adj. 2. (of a person or animal) lean and bony in an unattractive way.
scraggly = scrag<lean or uneven> + ly<adjective suffix>
- scrag (from Middle English scragge, meaning "a lean or stunted person/thing")
- ly (Old English -lic, forming adjectives meaning "having the quality of")
Etymology Origin:
The word scraggly emerged in the 19th century, combining scrag (a term for something lean or rough) with the adjectival suffix -ly. Scrag itself likely derives from Scandinavian roots, akin to Norwegian skragg ("a lean person"). The suffix -ly (from Old English -lic) transforms nouns into descriptive adjectives, giving scraggly its meaning of "uneven" or "unkempt." The word vividly evokes imagery of sparse, irregular growth, often applied to hair, foliage, or gaunt figures.
The old tree had scraggly branches that reached awkwardly toward the sky.
His beard grew in scraggly patches, making him look unkempt.
A scraggly dog wandered the alley, searching for food.
The garden was overrun with scraggly weeds after weeks of neglect.
She tried to comb her daughter’s scraggly hair into a neat ponytail.