different between scam vs scammy

English

Etymology

US carnival slang. Possibly from scamp (“swindler, cheater”). Also possibly from skam.

The word "scam" became common use among the US "drug culture" in early 1980 after Operation ABSCAM, an FBI sting operation directed at public officials, became public.

Pronunciation

• enPR: sk?m, IPA^(key): /skæm/
• Rhymes: -æm

Noun

scam (plural scams)

1. A fraudulent deal.

   That marketing scheme looks like a scam to me.

2. Something that is promoted using scams.

   That car was a scam.

Synonyms

• con game, confidence trick, swindle
• See also Thesaurus:deception

Coordinate terms

• take for a ride

Translations

Verb

scam (third-person singular simple present scams, present participle scamming, simple past and past participle scammed)

1. (transitive) To defraud or embezzle.

   They tried to scam her out of her savings.

Synonyms

• con

Translations

Anagrams

• ACMs, ACSM, CAMs, CASM, CSMA, M. A. Sc., M.A.Sc., MACs, MASc, Macs, SMAC, cams, macs, masc, masc.

Middle Irish

Etymology

Attested only in the plural form scaim. From Proto-Celtic *skamos. Cognate with Welsh ysgafn ("light") and Welsh ysgyfaint ("(pair of) lungs"), Breton skañv, Cornish skav.

Noun

1. lung

References

• Matasovi?, R. (2009). Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic, p.339. Brill: Boston.

English

Etymology

scam +? -y

Adjective

scammy

1. Of or relating to a scam.