Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Slang A person regarded as despicable.
  • noun Vulgar Slang A condom, especially one that has been used.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A condom.
  • noun mildly vulgar A sleazy, disreputable or despicable person; a lowlife.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From slang scum, semen.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

scum +‎ bag.

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Examples

Comments

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  • I remember calling Andrew Marvell a scumbag in class once for his schmoozing of some gal. The teacher got this disgusted look on her face. Days later, I read that a lot of people use this to mean a "used condom."

    February 22, 2007

  • Yeah, I heard that too. That's not usually what I mean when I say it, but then I stopped saying it because that's not usually what I mean. :\

    February 22, 2007

  • Ooh. Okay. Lesson learned. *zoiks*

    February 22, 2007

  • Dang, also never heard of that use. Perhaps I should remove it from my "self-descriptors" list... Ewww.

    February 22, 2007

  • In Brooklyn, New York (and other parts of the metropolitan north Atlantic region) the verb 'to scumbag' means to mislead, betray or fool another person. It is synonymous with the equally colloquial 'fuck over.' Often used in the past tense.

    Ex. I got scumbagged by a couple of Israelis running blow by Coney Island. Half that shit was corn starch."

    or

    The car service tried to scumbag me. $27.50 from Flatbush to Stillwell! I took the train.

    January 20, 2009

  • Cool comment, nycanthro. I've heard that once or twice but it might have been by New Yorkers.

    I'm not sure I've ever heard this used in the original sense of condom - definitely not for a few years. I've seen it in books and movies from the fifties through to the seventies, or maybe eighties, but not since. It's effective as a derogatory term not so much because of that meaning, but because of its vocal power - it's punchy and plosive, having the sort of zing-dungg! of a landed blow.

    January 20, 2009