Link Centre Dictionary

scorn

UK/skɔːn/ US/skɔɹn/ uncommon
noun (2) verb (2)

noun

1.

lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike

  • “he was held in contempt”
  • “the despite in which outsiders were held is legendary”
Synonyms
2.

open disrespect for a person or thing

Synonyms

verb

1.

look down on with disdain

  • “He despises the people he has to work for”
  • “The professor scorns the students who don”
Synonyms
2.

reject with contempt

  • “She spurned his advances”
Synonyms

Origin

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”).

Phrases

  • laugh to scorn

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.