scribble

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈskɹɪbəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #30643

Meanings

1

verb
To write or draw something quickly and carelessly.

I scribbled the address down on the back of an envelope.
2

verb
To make rough, meaningless drawings or marks.

The toddler scribbled all over the wall with a crayon.
3

noun
Careless, hurried writing or a rough drawing.

His notes were just a scribble that nobody could read.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to write or draw something... scrawl

2 verb · to make rough, meaningless... doodle

3 noun · careless, hurried writing... doodle squiggle

Word family

Forms scribbledscribblesscribbling

Derived forms multo-scribblingscribblerscribbleresstranscribble

Related forms scribe

Etymology

From Middle English scribblen, scriblen, scryblen, scribelen, equivalent to scribe + -le (frequentative suffix).

*(s)kreybʰ- Proto-Indo-European scribblen Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# scribble

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈskɹɪbəl/
**Frequency rank:** 30643

## Meanings
1. To write or draw something quickly and carelessly.
2. To make rough, meaningless drawings or marks.
3. Careless, hurried writing or a rough drawing.

## Examples
- I scribbled the address down on the back of an envelope.
- The toddler scribbled all over the wall with a crayon.
- His notes were just a scribble that nobody could read.

## Derived Forms
- multo-scribbling
- scribbler
- scribbleress
- transcribble

## Related Forms
- scribe

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *(s)kreybʰ-
- Root: scribblen

## Etymology
From Middle English scribblen, scriblen, scryblen, scribelen, equivalent to scribe + -le (frequentative suffix).

## AI Etymology
Scribble is from Middle English scribblen, scriblen, scryblen, scribelen, equivalent to scribe + -le (frequentative suffix). Important forms in the word's history include Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreybʰ-, Middle English scribblen. In current use it includes senses such as To write or draw something quickly and carelessly and To make rough, meaningless drawings or marks.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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