/skæb/
Say it backScab refers to a hardened crust that forms over a skin wound as it heals. It can also denote a person who helps cover up or protect something, or, in labor contexts, a worker who crosses a picket line. The term is common in medical, everyday, and metaphorical usage, with pronunciation that centers on a short, closed vowel followed by a final /b/.
"The cut on her knee formed a scab within a few days."
"During the strike, a few workers were labeled as scabs by the union."
"He picked at the scab, delaying the healing process."
The word is pronounced with a short, lax vowel in the first syllable: /skæb/. Stress is on the single syllable, and the final /b/ is a voiced bilabial stop. You start with /s/ + /k/ blend, then /æ/ as in cat, finishing with /b/. In casual speech you’ll still hear the /æ/ clearly. For reference, listen to native speakers on pronunciation sites using /skæb/.
Common mistakes include pronouncing the vowel as /ɪ/ (as in sip) or misplacing the /s/ and /k/ blend so it comes out as /ska/ with a silent b. Another error is de-voicing the final /b/ into a /p/ or not fully articulating the /b/ at the end. Correct by focusing on a crisp, voiced /b/ at the end and a clear /æ/ in the middle. Keep lips closed for /b/ and avoid turning it into /f/ or /v/ near the end.
In US/UK/AU, the starting /s/ and /k/ blends stay consistent: /s/ + /k/ before /æ/. The main difference is rhoticity only in broader accent contexts: the vowel doesn't alter rhoticity here since /æ/ is non-rhotic in these words; there is no r-coloring. In some very fast or connected speech, the /æ/ may be slightly raised or shortened. Overall, the /skæb/ skeleton remains stable across US/UK/AU.
The difficulty is that /æ/ is a short, lax vowel requiring precise jaw height and tongue position to avoid blending toward /a/ or a reduced vowel in rapid speech. Also, the final /b/ must be fully voiced without devoicing in casual speech, which some non-native speakers drop. Coordination of the /s/ and /k/ clusters without a noisy release also challenges learners who are used to simpler onset patterns. Practice exaggerating the /æ/ and final /b/ to fix it.
A unique aspect is that scab contains a consonant cluster /sk/ at the onset with no intervening vowel between s and k; this requires a precise release: you should begin with a steady /s/ flow into an abrupt /k/ release while maintaining the following /æ/ before closing with /b/. In careful pronunciation, ensure the tongue tip touches the alveolar ridge for /s/, then quickly moves to the velum release for /k/ before the vowel, ending with /b/.
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Scab comes from Middle English scaben, scaben, from Old Norse skabb or from Proto-Germanic *skabbaz, referring to a crust or rough skin. The word likely entered English via Germanic languages, with early senses tied to crusts or roughened skin and later extended to people who hinder labor movements (deriving from the notion of someone who attaches themselves to a cause or to a wound). By the 14th century, scab primarily meant a crust on a wound; by the 18th–19th centuries, it acquired social metaphorical meanings (p. scab meaning a worker who crosses a strike). The modern dual usage—medical crust and insult for a strikebreaker—coexists, with the metaphorical sense more prominent in political and labor contexts. First known written use is documented in medieval texts, with related forms in Dutch and Germanic languages that describe flaky crusts or rough, scab-like surfaces. Over time, the term broadened to include figurative uses in literature to describe something that adheres stubbornly or a person seen as unsavory for breaking a consensus.
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Help others use "scab" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "scab" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "scab" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "scab"
-rab sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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