Scrub

A scrub is a jerk or loser with little class and is generally annoying. Gamers commonly use "scrub" as a derogatory term to describe others who lack skill (also known as noobs). For example, you may remark in a game, "That scrub was an easy kill."

Outside of gaming, a scrub is an aimless loser who has no plans for their life. They probably don't have a job and mooches off of others. For example, a woman may describe an ex who laid around on her couch all day to her friend, "I can't believe I dated that scrub. Remind me never to do that again." Or, your friend may complain about her brother, "My parents get mad at me for breaking curfew once, but my brother is a total scrub, and they barely say anything to him!"

Origin of scrub

There are various claims to where the "scrub" slang term comes from, but the modern origin comes from hip-hop in the 1990s. The R&B group TLC popularized the term with their single "No Scrubs" in 1999. Then, in the late-2000s, the gaming community adopted the term, spreading it in the 2010s.