scalp

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈskælp/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/skælp/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(skalp)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
scalp /skælp/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. Anatomythe skin of the upper part of the head.
  2. Anthropologya part of the human scalp taken from an enemy as a sign of victory.

v. 
  1. to cut or tear the scalp from:[~ + object]They scalped their victims.
  2. to resell (tickets, stocks, etc.) at unfairly high prices: [~ + object]to scalp tickets to a football game.[no object]caught scalping in the parking lot.
scalp•er, n. [countable]scalpers trying to sell football tickets.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
scalp  (skalp),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Anatomythe integument of the upper part of the head, usually including the associated subcutaneous structures.
  2. Anthropologya part of this integument with the accompanying hair, severed from the head of an enemy as a sign of victory, as by some North American Indians and others during the colonial and frontier periods in the U.S.
  3. any token of victory.
  4. Zoologythe integument on the top of the head of an animal.
  5. Informal Termsa small profit made in quick buying and selling.

v.t. 
  1. to cut or tear the scalp from.
  2. Informal Terms
    • to resell (tickets, merchandise, etc.) at higher than the official rates.
    • to buy and sell (stocks) so as to make small quick profits.
  3. Metallurgyto plane down the surfaces of (an ingot, billet, or slab).

v.i. 
  1. Informal Termsto scalp tickets, stocks, or the like.
  • Old Norse skālpr sheath (hence, metaphorically a covering)
  • Middle English (north) (noun, nominal), perh. 1250–1300
scalp′er, n. 
scalp′less, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
scalp / skælp/
  1. the skin and subcutaneous tissue covering the top of the head
  2. (among Native Americans) a part of this removed as a trophy from a slain enemy
  3. a trophy or token signifying conquest
  4. a projection of bare rock from vegetation
 (transitive)
  1. to cut the scalp from
  2. to purchase and resell (securities) quickly so as to make several small profits
  3. to buy (tickets) cheaply and resell at an inflated price
Etymology: 13th Century: probably from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse skalpr sheath, Middle Dutch schelpe, Danish skalp huskˈscalper
'scalp' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Mohawk - bald - cornrow - cradle cap - croquignole - dandruff - electroencephalograph - epicranium - escallop - favus - flat top - hair implant - pack - part - parting - plug - pomade - ringworm - scallop - scalp lock - scaup - sculping - sward - tease - ticket scalper - wen
Collocations: died from a [blow, hammer] to the scalp, [grazed, burned, damaged] her scalp (when), [shaved, waxed] his scalp, more...

Forum discussions with the word(s) "scalp" in the title:


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