scarf
English · Thesaurus
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
scarf¹
- /skɑːf/ UK
- /skɑɹf/ Canada, US
- /skɐːf/ Australia, New Zealand
Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)f
Where it comes from
Probably from Old Northern French escarpe (compare Old French escharpe (“pilgrim's purse suspended from the neck”), which see). The verb is derived from the noun. Doublet of scrip.
noun scarves · scarfs
- A long, often knitted, garment worn around the neck. Now that she had rested and had fed from the luncheon tray Mrs. Broome had just removed, she had reverted to her normal gaiety. She looked cool in a grey tailored cotton dress with a terracotta scarf and shoes and her hair a black silk helmet.
- A headscarf.
- A neckcloth or cravat.
verb scarfs · scarfing · scarfed · scarve
- To throw on loosely; to put on like a scarf. Vp from my Cabin, / My ſea-gowne scarft about me in the darke / Gropt I to find out them, […]
- To dress with a scarf, or as with a scarf; to cover with a loose wrapping. She scarfed her head.
- To cover as or like a scarf. A cowl scarfed her shoulders.
scarf²
- /skɑːf/ UK
- /skɑɹf/ Canada, US
- /skɐːf/ Australia, New Zealand
Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)f
Where it comes from
Of uncertain origin. Possibly from Old Norse skarfr, derivative of skera (“to cut”).
noun scarfs
- A type of joint in woodworking, formed by two shaped ends that fit into or onto each other.
- A groove on one side of a sewing machine needle.
- A dip or notch or cut made in the trunk of a tree to direct its fall when felling.
verb scarfs · scarfing · scarfed
- To shape by grinding or oxyfuel torch cutting.
- To form a scarf on the end or edge of, as for a joint in timber, forming a "V" groove for welding adjacent metal plates, metal rods, etc.
- To unite, as two pieces of timber or metal, by a scarf joint.
scarf³
- /skɑːf/ UK
- /skɑɹf/ Canada, US
- /skɐːf/ Australia, New Zealand
Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)f
Where it comes from
Generally thought to be a variant, attested since the 1950s, of scoff (“eat (quickly)”) (of which scorf is another attested variant), itself a variant of scaff. Sometimes alternatively suggested to be a dialectal survival of Old English scearfian, sceorfan (“gnaw, bite”) (compare scurf).
verb scarfs · scarfing · scarfed
-
To eat very quickly.
You sure scarfed that pizza.
Similar: scarf down, scarf up, scoff, guzzle
scarf⁴
- /skɑːf/ UK
- /skɑɹf/ Canada, US
- /skɐːf/ Australia, New Zealand
Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)f
Where it comes from
From Old Norse skarfr.
noun scarfs · scart · skart
- A cormorant.
scarf⁵
- /skɑːf/ UK
- /skɑɹf/ Canada, US
- /skɐːf/ Australia, New Zealand
Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)f
noun scarfs
- Archaic form of scurf (“skin disease; skin flakes”).
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: cravat, sash, ascot, shawl, headscarf, fichu, handkerchief, hijab, veil, tissue, sling, muffler, sailing, sail, tail, elegant
Translations
Every language
noun long garment worn around the neck
| Español | bufanda, chalina |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 목도리 mokdori, 스카프 seukapeu, 머플러 meopeulleo |
| 日本語 | 襟巻き erimaki, 首巻き kubimaki, マフラー mafurā, スカーフ sukāfu |
| 中文 | 領巾 /领巾 lǐngjīn, 圍巾 /围巾 wéijīn, 圍脖兒 /围脖儿 wéibór |
| हिन्दी | दुपट्टा dupaṭṭā, स्कार्फ़ skārf |
| Português | cachecol, echarpe |
| Français | écharpe, cache-nez |
| Deutsch | Schal |
| Italiano | sciarpa, scaldacollo |
| Ελληνικά | κασκόλ kaskól |
| Română | eșarfă, șal, fular |
| Русский | шарф šarf, кашне́ kašnɛ́, шаль šalʹ, га́лстук gálstuk |
| Tiếng Việt | khăn choàng cổ, khăn quàng cổ, khăn quàng |
| العربية | وِشَاح wišāḥ, لِفاع lifāʕ |
| עברית | צָעִיף tsa'íf |
Talk about this word "scarf." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/scarf. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. scarf. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/scarf "scarf." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/scarf.Cite this
@misc{scarf_2026,
title = {scarf},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/scarf},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
