scion

American  

[sahy-uhn] / ˈsaɪ ən /

noun

1. a descendant or heir, especially of a wealthy or powerful family.

   She's a familiar face in this Wyoming town, the third-generation scion of a cattle-ranching family.

   The two men were scions of the most powerful dynasties in the world.

   Synonyms:

   progeny, offshoot, issue, child

2. Sometimes cion a shoot or twig, especially one cut for grafting or planting; a cutting.

---

scion British  

/ ˈsaɪən /

noun

1. a descendant, heir, or young member of a family

2. a shoot or twig of a plant used to form a graft

---

scion Scientific  

/ sī′ən /

1. A detached shoot or twig containing buds from a woody plant, used in grafting.

---

Etymology

Origin of scion

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English: “shoot, twig,” from Old French cion, from Frankish kī- (unrecorded) + Old French -on, noun suffix; compare Old English cīnan, Old Saxon kīnan, Old High German chīnan “to sprout,” Old English cīth, Old Saxon kīth “sprout”

Example Sentences

After nearly a year of wooing, tech scion David Ellison and his Skydance Media sign a deal with heiress Shari Redstone to buy her struggling media company, Paramount.

From Los Angeles Times

Rob Reiner, a Hollywood scion who directed films including ‘When Harry Met Sally’ and ‘The Princess Bride,’ was found dead with his wife Sunday in Brentwood.

From Los Angeles Times

Rob Reiner, a Hollywood scion who directed films including ‘When Harry Met Sally’ and ‘The Princess Bride,’ was found dead with his wife Sunday in Brentwood.

From Los Angeles Times

Rob Reiner, a Hollywood scion who directed iconic films including ‘When Harry Met Sally’ and ‘The Princess Bride,’ was found dead with his wife Sunday in Brentwood.

From Los Angeles Times

Upper middle-class scions who went to the right schools, schmoozed at the right parties, and waited their respective turns for their time in the spotlight.

From Salon

Related Words

• heir