shabby

[ shab-ee ]
/ ˈʃæb i /

adjective, shab·bi·er, shab·bi·est.

impaired by wear, use, etc.; worn: shabby clothes.
showing conspicuous signs of wear or neglect: The rooms on the upper floors of the mansion had a rather shabby appearance, as if they had not been much in use of late.
wearing worn clothes or having a slovenly or unkempt appearance: a shabby person.
run-down, seedy, or dilapidated: a shabby hotel.
meanly ungenerous or unfair; contemptible, as persons, actions, etc.: shabby behavior.
inferior; not up to par in quality, performance, etc.: a shabby rendition of the sonata.

Origin of shabby

1660–70; shab (Middle English; Old English sceabb scab) + -y1; cognate with German schäbig

OTHER WORDS FROM shabby

shab·bi·ly, adverb shab·bi·ness, noun un·shab·bi·ly, adverb un·shab·by, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for shabbiness

British Dictionary definitions for shabbiness

shabby
/ (ˈʃæbɪ) /

adjective -bier or -biest

threadbare or dilapidated in appearance
wearing worn and dirty clothes; seedy
mean, despicable, or unworthy shabby treatment
dirty or squalid

Derived forms of shabby

shabbily, adverb shabbiness, noun

Word Origin for shabby

C17: from Old English sceabb scab + -y 1