Shabbiest
/ˈʃæb.i.ɪst/noun
The most shabby; most worn, untidy, or of poor quality.
Did you know?Shabby is first recorded in the 17th century and is likely connected to a Scandinavian word family meaning rough, scabby, or scraped, which is why it originally felt more like damage than fashion.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skabb-
“A rough, scabby, scab-like condition or crust”
Old Norse
ON
skabb
“Scab; crust; itch”
Middle English
English
shabbe
“Scab; rough, scurfy condition”
17th Century
English
shabby
“Worn out, ragged, or in poor condition”
Modern English
English
shabbiest
“Most shabby; most worn, untidy, or of the poorest quality”