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Synonyms

scullion

American  
[skuhl-yuhn] / ˈskʌl yən /

noun

  1. a kitchen servant who does menial work.

  2. a low or contemptible person.

scullion British  
/ ˈskʌljən /

noun

  1. a mean or despicable person

  2. archaic a servant employed to do rough household work in a kitchen

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of scullion

1475–85; perhaps < Middle French escouvillon dishcloth, equivalent to escouve broom (< Latin scōpa ) + -illon diminutive suffix

Vocabulary lists containing scullion

"The Tragedy of Hamlet," Vocabulary from Act 2

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

John Scullion KC, defending, told the court: "My client is under no illusion that he will receive nothing other than custody."

From BBC • Nov. 17, 2025

Matthew Scullion is the co-founder of Matillion, a Manchester-based data firm, which became in unicorn in 2021.

From BBC • Jan. 22, 2024

John Scullion KC, defending, said that his client's lengthy career had "ended in ignominy".

From BBC • Nov. 6, 2023

Defence counsel John Scullion KC said that his client "bitterly regrets his actions and the tragic consequences for the deceased and his family".

From BBC • Aug. 16, 2023

She is Lady Dearborne Scullion, Tohm; Brook's wife — you do understand?

From Scorched Earth by Petrovic, Walter D.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.