mangy

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   affected by mange, or looking as though affected by it

   The shelter treated the mangy dog for mites and skin infection.

2. 2
   adj

   shabby, worn, dirty, or in poor condition

   A mangy carpet covered the floor of the abandoned room.

3. 3
   adj

   contemptible or mean; informal

   He denounced the fraud as a mangy little scheme.

Formed from mange + -y. The literal sense describes the patchy coat caused by mange; the word then broadened to shabby objects and, contemptuously, to people or conduct.

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary