scurrilous

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   given to foul-mouthed abuse

   The second in command is a quite scurrilous.

2. 2
   adj

   Slanderous.

   She said Johnson was “a better man than many of your detractors will ever understand”, adding that it was “so desperately sad that you let yourself down by making a scurrilous accusation against the leader of the opposition”.

3. 3
   adj

   Unscrupulous, evil.

   We have had our address used by scurrilous crooks in the past to gain assets by fraud.

Simplified etymology

Scurrilous entered English in the late 16th century meaning “spreading scandal.” It is based on Latin scurrilus, derived from scurra, meaning “buffoon.”

From Latin scurrīlis (“buffoon-like”) + -ous, from scurra (“a buffoon”).

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary