English → Latin
“scratch” in Latin
rādōto scrape, shave, scratch; to rub, smooth; to touch (upon), brush along, grazescabōto scratch, scrape, abradescalpōto scratch (with the nails); to carve or engravefricōto rub; to chafeperfricōto rub all over; to put on a bold face (rub away blushes)auriculaexternal ear, earlap; earPersiusa Roman nomen gentile, gens or "family name" famously held by
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
scratch s.
vulnus leve (a slight wound): summae cutis laceratio: usually by circumlocution. He received a slight scratch on his arm, cutis brachii leviter perstricta est
scratch v.
radere (the proper word): scabere (to scrape): scalpere (to scrape, shave): fricare, perfricare (to rub gently): leviter perstringere (to wound slightly). To scratch the head, caput scabere or scalpere; caput perfricare: to scratch behind its ears with its hind feet, aures posterioribus pedibus scabere (☞ but radere aures or auriculas, in Quint., 3, 1, 3, and Persius, 1, 107, is = to offend the ears, of a speech, etc.). The pen scratches, *penna radit chartam: to scratch out, radere: eradere: exsculpere. To scratch out one’s eyes, oculos alicui effodere. I will scratch out your eyes, unguibus involabo tibi in oculos
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for scratch?
- The usual Latin words for “scratch” are rādō, scabō, scalpō; also fricō, perfricō, auricula. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.