Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “scarface” come from?

scarface (English) comes from English scar, from Middle English scar, from Middle English skar, from Old Norse skarð, from Proto-Germanic skardą, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱer- — dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth.

scarface (English): A person with a scarred face

Definitions

  1. A person with a scarred face

Ancestry of “scarface”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishscarA permanent mark on the skin, sometimes caused by...
2Middle Englishscar—
3Middle Englishskarincision, cut, fissure
4Old Norseskarðnotch, hack; notch, chink, gap
5Proto-Germanicskardąnotch; nick
6Proto-Indo-European(s)ḱer-dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱer- →