Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “scammy” come from?

scammy (English) comes from English scam, from English scamp, from Middle Dutch schampen, from Old French escamper, from Vulgar Latin excappare, from Latin cāppa, from Latin caput, from Proto-Italic kaput — to seize, hold.

scammy (English): Of or relating to a scam

Definitions

  1. Of or relating to a scam

Ancestry of “scammy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishscamA fraudulent deal; Something that is promoted...
2EnglishscampA rascal, swindler, or rogue; a ne'er-do-well; A...
3Middle Dutchschampenslip away
4Old Frenchescamperto run away, to make one's escape
5Vulgar Latinexcapparepresent active infinitive of *excappō;...
6Latincāppa—
7Latincaputhead; headlike protuberance on an organ or body...
8Proto-Italickaputhead
9Proto-Indo-Europeankáputhead
10Proto-Indo-Europeankap-to seize, hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kap- →