Английский Этимологический словарь - scurvy

- c.1565, noun use of adj. scurvy (c.1425), variant of scurfy (see scurf). It took on the meaning of Du. scheurbuik, Fr. scorbut "scurvy," the disease characterized by swollen and bleeding gums, prostration, etc., from O.N. skyrbjugr, lit. "a swelling (bjugr) from drinking sour milk (skyr) on long sea voyages."