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Added 9 October 2026

scorn

/skɔːn/ verb

In Latin: contemnō Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about scorn at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To feel or display contempt or disdain for something or somebody; to despise.
To reject, turn down with disdain.
He scorned her romantic advances.
To refuse to do something, as beneath oneself.
She scorned to show weakness.

noun

Contempt or disdain.
A display of disdain; a slight.
An object of disdain, contempt, or derision.

Origin

Verb from Middle English scornen, schornen, alteration of Old French escharnir, from Vulgar Latin *escarnire, from Proto-West Germanic *skarnijan, possibly from Proto-Germanic *skeraną (“to shear”) (from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut”)), or possibly related to *skarną (“dung, filth”) (from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ḱerd-, *(s)ḱer- (“dung, manure, filth”)). Noun from Old French escarn (cognate with Portuguese escárnio, Spanish escarnio and Italian scherno). Cognate with Middle High German schern (“joke, mockery, scorn”), Old English sċierniċġe (“female entertainer, juggler, actress”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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