Where does “offscum” come from?

offscum (English) comes from English scum, from Middle English scum, from Middle Dutch schūme, from Old Dutch *scūm, from Frankish skūm, from Proto-Germanic skūmaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kewH- — to cover, bedeck; cover.

offscum (English): Refuse; scum; Vile; outcast

Definitions

  1. Refuse; scum; Vile; outcast

Ancestry of “offscum”, step by step

offscum traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English scum

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishscumA layer of impurities that accumulates at the...
2Middle Englishscum—
3Middle Dutchschūmefoam
4Old Dutch*scūm—
5Frankishskūmfoam; froth, foam
6Proto-Germanicskūmazfilm; grime; scum; foam; froth; yeast
7Proto-Indo-European(s)kewH-to cover, bedeck; cover

via English off

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoffIn a direction away from the speaker or object;...
2Middle Englishofof; off; until
3Old Englishofof, from, off, out of
4Old Englishæfof
5Proto-Germanic*ab—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanapó—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kewH- →