scorn

Meanings

Verb

• To feel or display contempt or disdain for something or somebody; to despise.
• To reject, turn down.
• To refuse to do something, as beneath oneself.
• To scoff, to express contempt.

Noun

• Contempt or disdain.
• A display of disdain; a slight.
• An object of disdain, contempt, or derision.

Related

Similar words

• deride, mock, ridicule, scoff, sneer

Origin

• Verb from Middle English scornen, schornen, alteration of Old French escharnir, from Vulgar Latin *escarnire, from Proto-Germanic *skarnjan, which could be from *skeraną (from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- ("to cut")), or possibly related to *skarną (from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ḱerd-, *(s)ḱer-). Noun from Old French escarn (cognate with Portuguese escárnio, Spanish escarnio and Italian scherno).