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Where does the word "scorn" come from? It comes from Frankish skern, passing through Old French before entering English (1100s).
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Where does the word "scorn" come from? It comes from Frankish skern, passing through Old French before entering English (1100s).
Scorn’s story begins in Frankish: skern meant “mockery.” A Frankish word for jest. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as escarn. Scornful mockery. It reached English by 1100s as scorn. 'scornful' followed. Today, scorn means contempt; to reject with contempt.
- Stage 1 · Frankish · ancient skern "mockery", a Frankish word for jest.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval escarn "mockery", scornful mockery.
- Stage 3 · English · 1100s scorn "contempt", 'scornful' followed.