Where does “scornful” come from?

Scornful comes from Middle English scorn plus Old English -ful, from Proto-Germanic -fullaz and fullaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European pl̥h₁nós and (s)ker- or sek-.

scornful (English): Showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous

Definitions

  1. Showing scorn or disrespect; contemptuous

Ancestry of “scornful”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishscornTo feel or display contempt or disdain for...
2Englishscarndung
3Old Frenchescarn—
4Vulgar Latinescarnire—
5Proto-Germanicskarnjan—
6Proto-Germanicskeranąto shear
7Proto-Indo-Europeansḱer-to caw, crow

Words derived from “scornful”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European sḱer- →Every word from Proto-Germanic skeraną →Every word from Proto-Germanic skarnjan →
scornful — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer