scum

C1 Topic:Materials & Substances

US /skʌm/ UK /skʌm/ See IPA manual

Freq #4669

Meanings

1

noun
a film of foam, dirt, impurities, or vegetation that forms on the surface of a liquid

A thin layer of scum collected on the stagnant pond.
2

noun
an insulting term for a contemptible person or group of people

The speaker denounced his opponents as scum, drawing criticism for the dehumanizing language.
3

verb
to remove a layer of scum from the surface of a liquid

The worker used a ladle to scum the impurities from the molten metal.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a film of foam, dirt,... film dross slag residue

2 noun · an insulting term for a... trash rabble

3 verb · to remove a layer of scum... skim clean

Opposites

purity

Word family

Derived forms descumscumbagscum-ridden

Related forms foam skim impurity

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

pond scum
a floating layer of freshwater algae on a pond's surface

Noun + noun

Etymology

From Middle English scum, probably from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German schume ("foam"), ultimately Germanic. The contemptuous human sense arose by metaphor from the unwanted impurities floating on a liquid's surface.

Topics

Materials & Substances

External links

# scum

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /skʌm/
**IPA (UK):** /skʌm/
**Frequency rank:** 4669

## Meanings
1. a film of foam, dirt, impurities, or vegetation that forms on the surface of a liquid
2. an insulting term for a contemptible person or group of people
3. to remove a layer of scum from the surface of a liquid

## Examples
- A thin layer of scum collected on the stagnant pond.
- The speaker denounced his opponents as scum, drawing criticism for the dehumanizing language.
- The worker used a ladle to scum the impurities from the molten metal.

## Synonyms
- film
- dross
- slag
- residue
- trash

## Antonyms
- purity

## Derived Forms
- descum
- scumbag
- scum-ridden

## Related Forms
- foam
- skim
- impurity

## Etymology
From Middle English scum, probably from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German schume ("foam"), ultimately Germanic. The contemptuous human sense arose by metaphor from the unwanted impurities floating on a liquid's surface.

## Topics
- Materials & Substances

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