scorn
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scorn
- /skɔːn/ UK
- /skɔɹn/ US
Rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)n
Where it comes from
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”).
verb scorns · scorning · scorned
-
To feel or display contempt or disdain for something or somebody; to despise.
The Cry is ſtill, they come: our Caſtles ſtrength / Will laugh a Siedge to ſcorne
Similar: contemn, disdain, despect, disrespect, despise, disesteem, look down on, misrespect, scorn, spurn, fleer, flout
-
To reject, turn down with disdain.
He scorned her romantic advances.
Similar: spurn
- To refuse to do something, as beneath oneself. She scorned to show weakness.
-
To scoff, to express contempt.
For miſerie doth braueſt mindes abate, / And make them ſeeke for that they wont to ſcorne, / Of fortune and of hope at once forlorne.
Similar: deride, mock, ridicule, scoff, sneer, gird, jeer, jibe, laugh at, scorn
noun scorns
- Contempt or disdain. Rain of tears, real, mist of imagined scorn
- A display of disdain; a slight. VVith ſcoffes and ſcornes, and contumelious taunts, / In open Market-place produc't they me, / To be a publique ſpectacle to all: / Here, ſayd they, is the Terror of the French, / The Scar-Crovv that affrights our Children ſo.
- An object of disdain, contempt, or derision. Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: contempt, disdain, contemn, despise, spurn, reject, turn down, pooh-pooh, freeze off, derision, loathing, disrespect, flouting, deride, flout, denigration
Translations
Every language
verb to feel contempt or disdain for something or somebody
| Español | despreciar, desdeñar, menospreciar |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 蔑む sagesumu, 見下す mikudasu |
| 中文 | 鄙薄 bǐbó |
| हिन्दी | तिरस्कार करना tiraskār karnā |
| Português | desprezar, desdenhar, menosprezar |
| Français | mépriser, dédaigner |
| Deutsch | verachten |
| Italiano | disprezzare, disdegnare |
| Ελληνικά | περιφρονώ perifronó |
| Română | disprețui |
| Русский | презира́ть prezirátʹ, относи́ться с пренебрежением otnosítʹsja s prenebreženijem |
| Tiếng Việt | khinh bỉ, khinh miệt |
| العربية | اِحْتَقَرَ iḥtaqara |
| עברית | בָּז báz |
verb to reject, turn down
| Español | rechazar |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 撥ね付ける hanetsukeru |
| Deutsch | verschmähen |
| Italiano | disprezzare |
| Ελληνικά | περιφρονώ perifronó |
| Română | respinge, refuza |
| Русский | отвергать otvergatʹ |
| العربية | استنكف |
verb to scoff or express contempt
| Español | escarnecer |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 嘲る azakeru, 嘲う azawarau |
| Français | mépriser |
| Deutsch | verspotten |
| Română | disprețui, urî |
| Русский | насмехаться nasmexatʹsja, глумиться glumitʹsja |
| العربية | استخف |
noun contempt, disdain
| Español | desprecio, desdén, escarnio, ludibrio |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 경멸 gyeongmyeol |
| 日本語 | 軽蔑 keibetsu, 鄙薄 hihaku |
| 中文 | 輕蔑 /轻蔑 qīngmiè |
| Português | desprezo, escárnio, desdém |
| Français | mépris, dédain |
| Deutsch | Verachtung |
| Italiano | disprezzo |
| Ελληνικά | περιφρόνηση perifrónisi |
| Română | dispreț |
| Русский | презре́ние prezrénije |
| עברית | שאט־נפש sh'át-néfesh |
Talk about this word "scorn." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/scorn. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. scorn. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/scorn "scorn." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/scorn.Cite this
@misc{scorn_2026,
title = {scorn},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/scorn},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
