Scratchy comes from the noun/verb 'scratch' + adjectival '-y'; 'scratch' is from late Middle English, a blend of 'scrat' and 'cratch'. The historical chain includes Old English -y. Older glosses in the chain include "scratch", "-y", "scrat", and "cratch", which help explain the semantic range of the modern word. Morphologically, scratchy is best read as compound and borrowing, yielding an English adjective shaped by both form history and later usage. In current English it functions as an adjective, with the sense "rough and irritating to the touch; making a harsh, grating sound". English derivatives include scratchiness and scratchily; related forms include scratch, scratcher, and scratching. The result is an English adjective whose etymology preserves the older forms while supporting the word's specialized modern meaning.