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Where does the word "scowl" come from? It comes from Old Norse skula, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
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Where does the word "scowl" come from? It comes from Old Norse skula, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
Scowl’s story begins in Old Norse: skula meant “to look sullen.” Related to Danish 'skule', to look down. It reached English by 1300s as scowl. Settled as the English word for a sullen, frowning expression. Today, scowl means to frown in an angry, displeased, or sullen manner.
- Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval skula "to look sullen", related to Danish 'skule', to look down.
- Stage 2 · English · 1300s scowl "to frown in an angry or sullen manner", settled as the English word for a sullen, frowning expression.