dandruff
noun · verb
Simple meaning
Loose scales shed from the scalp.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
dandruhfSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈdændɹəf
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
Loose scales shed from the scalp
“I could see the dandruff on her shoulders.”
A condition in which white scales of dead skin are shed by the scalp
Scaly white dead skin flakes from the human scalp; Pityriasis capitis
verb
To fall or cover with white flakes, like dandruff.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient (estimated)
- Frequency
- Rare
- Formality
- Technical
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Loose scales shed from the scalp
Used this way, dandruff is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“I could see the dandruff on her shoulders.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “dandruff on …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Natural pattern: dandruff on …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use dandruff
- “I could see the dandruff on her shoulders.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.