Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “scorch” come from?

Scorch comes from Middle English scorchen, from Middle English scorpnen, from Old Norse skorpna.

scorch (English): A slight or surface burn; A discolouration caused...

Definitions

  1. A slight or surface burn; A discolouration caused...

Ancestry of “scorch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishscorchen—
2Old Norseskorpnato writhe, wither; to shrivel up

Words derived from “scorch”

  • scorcher
  • scorcheth
  • scorchy
  • scorchest
  • bescorch
  • scóitséir
Every word from Old Norse skorpna →