scalp

 
Pronunciation: /skalp/

noun

  • 1the skin covering the head, excluding the face: hair tonics will improve the condition of your hair and scalp
  • historical the scalp with the hair belonging to it, cut or torn away from an enemy’s head as a battle trophy, a former practice among American Indians.
  • used with reference to the defeat of an opponent: in rugby Gloucester claimed the scalp of would-be champions Bath
  • 2Scottish a bare rock projecting above surrounding water or vegetation.

verb

[with object]
  • 1 historical take the scalp of (an enemy): none of the soldiers were scalped
  • informal punish severely: if I ever heard anybody doing that I’d scalp them
  • 2North American informal resell (shares or tickets) at a large or quick profit: tickets were scalped for forty times their face value

Derivatives

scalper

noun
scalp (sense 2 of the verb).

Origin:

Middle English (denoting the skull or cranium): probably of Scandinavian origin