Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “scathe” come from?

scathe (English) comes from Middle English scathe, from Old English sceaþa, from Proto-Germanic skaþô, from Proto-Indo-European sket- — to injure.

scathe (English): Harm; damage; injury; hurt; misfortune; waste; To...

Definitions

  1. Harm; damage; injury; hurt; misfortune; waste; To...

Ancestry of “scathe”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishscathe—
2Old Englishsceaþaone who injures; enemy, ravager; warrior; injury
3Proto-Germanicskaþôdamage, scathe; one who causes damage; injurer
4Proto-Indo-Europeansket-to injure

Words derived from “scathe”

  • scathing
  • scathingly
  • scath
  • scathful
  • scathefire
  • ill-scathe
  • scathfulness
  • scathingness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sket- →