First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1scarify
transitive verb scar·i·fy \ˈsker-ə-ˌfī\
scar·i·fiedscar·i·fy·ing
Definition of SCARIFY
1
: to make scratches or small cuts in (as the skin) <scarify an area for vaccination>
2
: to lacerate the feelings of
3
: to break up, loosen, or roughen the surface of (as a field or road)
4
: to cut or soften the wall of (a hard seed) to hasten germination
— scar·i·fi·er \-ˌfī(-ə)r\ noun
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Origin of SCARIFY
Middle English scarifien, from Middle French scarefier, from Late Latin scarificare, alteration of Latin scarifare, from Greek skariphasthai to scratch an outline, sketch — more at scribe
Rhymes with SCARIFY
abide by, Adonai, alibi, alkali, amplify, apple-pie, argufy, assegai, azo dye, basify, beautify, butterfly, by-and-by, caddis fly, calcify, certify, Chou En-lai, citify, clarify, classify, coalify, cockneyfy, codify, college try, cottage pie, crucify, cut-and-try, cutie-pie, DIY, damnify, damselfly, dandify, deify, densify, dignify, dobsonfly, do-or-die, dragonfly, dulcify, eagle eye, edify, evil eye, falsify, fancify, fortify, frenchify, fructify, gasify, Gemini, gentrify, glorify, goggle-eye, goldeneye, gratify, Haggai, harvest fly, hexerei, high and dry, hip and thigh, Hokusai, hook and eye, horrify, hoverfly, humble pie, Iceni, justify, kiss good-bye, lazy eye, lignify, liquefy, lithify, Lorelei, lullaby, Madurai, magnify, Malachi, Maracay, minify, modify, mollify, Molokai, Mordecai, mortify, multi-ply, multiply, mummify, mystify, nazify, notify, nullify, occupy, old school tie, on standby, on the fly, ossify, overbuy, overfly, overlie, pacify, Paraguay, passerby, peccavi, petrify, PPI, preachify, prettify, private eye, prophesy, purify, putrefy, qualify, quantify, ramify, rarefy, ratify, RBI, rectify, reify, res gestae, robber fly, runner's high, Russify, samurai, sanctify, satisfy, schwarmerei, semidry, set store by, shepherd's pie, shoofly pie, signify, simplify, Spanish fly, specify, speechify, stratify, stultify, stupefy, sweetie pie, Tenebrae, terrify, testify, tie-and-dye, tigereye, Trans Alai, tumble dry, typify, uglify, underlie, unify, Uruguay, Veneti, verify, versify, vilify, vinify, vitrify, vivify, weather eye, Windsor tie, xanthene dye, yuppify, zombify
2scarify
transitive verb
scarifiedscarify·ing
Definition of SCARIFY
First Known Use of SCARIFY
1785
Medical Dictionary
scarify
transitive verb scar·i·fy \ˈskar-ə-ˌfī, ˈsker-\
scar·i·fiedscar·i·fy·ing
Medical Definition of SCARIFY
: to make scratches or small cuts in (as the skin) <scarify an area for vaccination>
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