scorn

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To feel or display contempt or disdain for something or somebody; to despise.
2. (transitive) To reject, turn down.
3. (transitive) To refuse to do something, as beneath oneself.
4. (intransitive) To scoff, to express contempt.

Noun

1. (uncountable) Contempt or disdain.
2. (countable) A display of disdain; a slight.
3. (countable) An object of disdain, contempt, or derision.

Synonyms

disdain

contempt

despise

ridicule

derision

look down on

mockery

mock

contemn

slight

deride

disparage

look down

spurn

sneer

scoff

dislike

belittle

look down upon

make a fool of

disregard

laugh at

snub

sarcasm

hold in contempt

insult

despite

flout

reject

treat with contempt

dishonor

disgrace

denigrate

turn down

badmouth

laugh

😆

diss

ignore

freeze off

depreciate

tease

pooh-pooh

bad-mouth

refuse

despisal

decline

blasphemy

dismiss

criticize

knock

Translations

disprezzare

mépriser

😡

mépris

verachten

Verachtung

despreciar

dédaigner

dédain

disprezzo

desprezar

περιφρονώ

desdén

Hohn

disdegnare

minachten

Pronounced as (IPA)

/skɔːn/

Etymology

Cognate with Portuguese: escárnio

Cognate with Spanish: escarnio

Cognate with Italian: scherno

In summary

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”).