scum

noun
UK: /skʌm/
US: /skʌm/

  1. A layer of unpleasant or unwanted material that forms on the top of a liquid.

    1. There was scum on the surface of the pond near our house.
    2. Remove the scum that rises to the top while the broth simmers to ensure clarity.

  2. Worthless or contemptible people; people considered to be morally reprehensible.

    1. He thinks those vandals are just scum.
    2. The newspaper called the corrupt politicians scum, sparking a heated debate.

Synonyms

dross refuse rubbish trash riffraff vermin
scum transitive-verb

  1. To remove scum from the surface of a liquid.

    1. Scum the pot while the soup is cooking.
    2. She carefully scummed the impurities from the boiling sugar solution to achieve perfect clarity.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "scum" in English means: A layer of unpleasant or unwanted material that forms on the top of a liquid., Worthless or contemptible people; people considered to be morally reprehensible..

The phonetic transcription of "scum" is /skʌm/ in British English and /skʌm/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "scum": dross, refuse, rubbish, trash, riffraff, vermin.

Example usage of "scum": "There was scum on the surface of the pond near our house.". More examples on the page.