Etymology Map
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Scrub

3 stages from Scandinavian to English.

Today it means to rub hard to clean

Where does the word "scrub" come from? It comes from Scandinavian skrubba, passing through Middle English before entering English (1500s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
skrubba
Scandinavian · medieval
"to scrub"
probably from a Scandinavian source, like Danish 'skrubbe'; Middle Dutch 'schrobben' is a cousin
2
Stage 2 of 3
scrobben
Middle English · 1300s
"to rub hard"
first used for rubbing down horses
3
Stage 3 of 3
scrub
English · 1500s
"to rub clean"
'to scrub' a plan, cancel it, is 1940s air-force slang
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Read the full story

Scrub’s story begins in Scandinavian: skrubba meant “to scrub.” Probably from a Scandinavian source, like Danish 'skrubbe'; Middle Dutch 'schrobben' is a cousin. By 1300s, the word had taken hold in Middle English as scrobben. First used for rubbing down horses. It reached English by 1500s as scrub. 'to scrub' a plan, cancel it, is 1940s air-force slang. Today, scrub means to rub hard to clean.