scorn

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To feel or show that you think someone or something is worthless and deserves no respect.

   The critics scorned his first novel as childish.

2. 2
   noun

   A strong feeling that someone or something is worthless and deserves no respect.

   She looked at him with scorn.

3. 3
   verb

   To refuse something proudly, as if it were beneath you.

   She scorned his offer of help.

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”).

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