Adjacent Words

Dandruff definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DANDRUFF, n. A scurf which forms on the head, and comes off in small scales or particles.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a condition in which white scales of dead skin are shed by the scalp
2: loose scales shed from the scalp; "I could see the dandruff on her shoulders"

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: probably from dand- (origin unknown) + -ruff, from Middle English rove scabby condition, from Old Norse hr?fa scab; akin to Old High German hruf scurf, Lithuanian kraupus rough Date: 1545 scaly white or grayish flakes of dead skin cells especially of the scalp; also the condition marked by excessive shedding of such flakes and usually accompanied by itching • dandruffy adjective

Britannica Concise

Skin disorder of the scalp, a mild form of dermatitis. It affects most people at some time, when the scalp, which normally sheds its dead outer skin cells continuously, starts to shed them intermittently, causing a scaly buildup before shedding and noticeable flakes of skin when shedding occurs. Dandruff is not contagious and often goes away spontaneously; special shampoos can control it.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 dead skin in small scales among the hair. 2 the condition of having this. Etymology: 16th c.: -ruff perh. rel. to ME rove scurfiness f. ON hrufa or MLG, MDu. rove

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Dandruff Dandruff, n. [Prob. from W. toncrust, peel, skin + AS. dr?f dirty, draffy, or W. drwg bad: cf. AS. tan a letter, an eruption. [root]240.] A scurf which forms on the head, and comes off in small or particles. [Written also dandriff.]

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Dandruff is small white pieces of dead skin in someone's hair, or fallen from someone's hair. He has very bad dandruff.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Scurf (on the head).

Moby Thesaurus

carrion, chip, corruption, decay, excrement, filth, flake, floccule, flocculus, flock, foul matter, furfur, gangrene, mess, muck, mucus, obscenity, ordure, paring, pus, putrid matter, rot, scale, scurf, scuz, shaving, slime, smut, snot, sordes