Scritches

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. Lightly scratches or rubs an itchy spot, often with the fingertips, to give relief or comfort
2. Gently scrapes the skin or a surface with the nails, especially to soothe an itch
3. Rubs or scratches an area lightly with the fingers, usually producing a faint rasping sound

Etymology: "Scritches" is the third-person singular present form of the verb "scritch," which is a variant of "scratch." The verb itself is a sound-driven respelling: the "sc" cluster and the soft, drawn-out hiss of "-tch" mimic the rasp of fingernails moving lightly over skin or fabric. Its meaning is correspondingly gentle, covering the soothing scratch someone gives a pet's back or an itchy spot, rather than the harsher tearing or marking that "scratch" often suggests.

Synonyms: scratch, scrape