Shab
/ʃæb/noun
An obsolete or dialectal English word for a scab, skin disease, or shabby person.
Did you know?“Shab” is generally treated as a dialectal or altered form related to “scab,” preserving an old association between damaged skin and contemptible people.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Germanic
*skab-
“A proposed Germanic root associated with scraping, crusting, or scabbing; the reconstruction is uncertain.”
Old Norse
Old Norse
skabb
“Scab or skin disease.”
Middle English
English
scabbe
“A scab or crust on the skin.”
Early Modern English
English
shab
“A dialectal variant referring to a scab or skin disorder.”
18th–19th Century
English
shab
“A contemptible, shabby, or poorly dressed person.”
Modern English
English
shab
“An obsolete or regional term, chiefly encountered in historical or dialect dictionaries.”