scorn

[skawrn]

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR scorn ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

open or unqualified contempt; disdain: His face and attitude showed the scorn he felt.

an object of derision or contempt.

a derisive or contemptuous action or speech.

verb (used with object)

to treat or regard with contempt or disdain: They scorned the old beggar.

to reject, refuse, or ignore with contempt or disdain: She scorned my help.

verb (used without object)

to mock; jeer.

Idioms

laugh to scorn, to ridicule; deride: Her good advice was laughed to scorn.

Origin of scorn

1150–1200; (noun) Middle English scorn, scarn < Old French escarn < Germanic (compare obsolete Dutch schern mockery, trickery); (v.) Middle English skarnen, sc(h)ornen < Old French escharnir, eschernir ≪ Germanic

Related formsscorn·er, nounscorn·ing·ly, adverbout·scorn, verb (used with object)self-scorn, nounun·scorned, adjective

Synonyms for scorn

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR scorn ON THESAURUS.COM

1. contumely. 4. disdain, contemn, despise, detest.

Synonym study

1. See contempt.

Antonyms for scorn

3. praise.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for scorning

despise, spurn, disdain, repudiate, taunt, defy, ridicule, refute, flout, ignore, disregard, deride, reject, shun, hate, abhor, mock, refuse, gibe, renounce

Examples from the Web for scorning

Contemporary Examples of scorning

And so scorning the whole idea of competition just because it can backfire in a tiny minority feels reflexive and unnecessary.
Confessions of an Extreme Yogi
Benjamin Lorr
December 31, 2012

Historical Examples of scorning

Shakespeare is perfectly willing to depict Hotspur as scorning the arts.
The Man Shakespeare
Frank Harris
Yet perhaps he is only some false flatterer who is scorning us all the time.
Albert Durer
T. Sturge Moore
"No, I wasn't listening," said Cecily, scorning apology or excuse.
Tristram of Blent
Anthony Hope
Unkind Hermia, to join with men in scorning your poor friend.
Tales from Shakespeare
Charles Lamb and Mary Lamb
"Don't want any 'tato," objected Janie, scorning the proffered dish.
Tabitha's Vacation
Ruth Alberta Brown

British Dictionary definitions for scorning

scorn

noun

open contempt or disdain for a person or thing; derision

an object of contempt or derision

archaic an act or expression signifying contempt

verb

to treat with contempt or derision

(tr) to reject with contempt

Derived Formsscorner, nounscornful, adjectivescornfully, adverbscornfulness, noun

Word Origin for scorn

C12 schornen, from Old French escharnir, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German scerōn to behave rowdily, obsolete Dutch schern mockery

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

Word Origin and History for scorning

scorn

c.1200, a shortening of Old French escarn "mockery, derision, contempt," a common Romanic word (cf. Spanish escarnio, Italian scherno) of Germanic origin, from Proto-Germanic *skarnjan "mock, deride" (cf. Old High German skern "mockery, jest, sport," Middle High German scherzen "to jump with joy").

Probably influenced by Old French escorne "affront, disgrace," which is a back-formation from escorner, literally "to break off (someone's) horns," from Vulgar Latin *excornare (source of Italian scornare "treat with contempt"), from Latin ex- "without" (see ex-) + cornu "horn" (see horn (n.)).

scorn

c.1200, from Anglo-French, Old North French escarnir (Old French escharnir), from the source of scorn (n.). Cf. Old High German skernon, Middle Dutch schernen. Related: Scorned; scorning. Forms in Romanic languages influenced by confusion with Old French escorner "deprive of horns," hence "deprive of honor or ornament, disgrace."