Shabby

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈʃæbi/

Definitions

1. Worn, faded, or in poor condition due to age or neglect; also describes something meanly inadequate or unfair in quality or treatment
2. Threadbare and deteriorated in appearance from wear, or characterized by inadequate and dishonorable treatment or quality
3. Worn thin by use and showing signs of decay, or marked by stingy and disreputable conduct or standards
4. Showing signs of deterioration and neglect while also conveying miserliness or inadequate generosity

Etymology: Shabby began as a skin complaint. The noun "shab" named a scaly skin disease, particularly of sheep, or a crust forming over a wound, a scab. Adding the suffix "-y", meaning "having the quality of", produced an adjective meaning scabby or mangy, and the sense of worn-out, threadbare appearance grew from that picture of a neglected, unkempt coat. The Germanic roots run deep. The word descends from Old English "sceabb" (scab), and its relatives appear across the continent: Dutch "schabbig" means poor or needy, German "schäbig" means shabby, and Swedish "skabbig" means scabby. Scots "shabby" once meant ill or in poor health, so the sense of physical sickness survived in that dialect long after English had shifted to describing clothes and furniture.

Synonyms: worn, tattered, frayed, dilapidated, scruffy

Antonyms: luxurious, neat, smart, fashionable, opulent