Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “scum” come from?

Scum comes from Middle English scum, from Middle Dutch schūme, from Proto-Germanic skūmaz, from Proto-Indo-European skew-.

scum (English): A layer of impurities that accumulates at the...

Definitions

  1. A layer of impurities that accumulates at the...

Ancestry of “scum”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishscum—
2Middle Dutchschūmefoam
3Old Dutch*scūm—
4Frankishskūmfoam; froth, foam
5Proto-Germanicskūmazfilm; grime; scum; foam; froth; yeast
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kewH-to cover, bedeck; cover

Words derived from “scum”

  • scumbag
  • scummy
  • scumble
  • scumming
  • scumball
  • scumbucket
  • scumware
  • scumsucking
  • scummer
  • descum
  • scumlike
  • scumsucker
  • offscum
  • scumminess
  • scumhole
  • scumhead
  • cyberscum
  • savescum
  • scumbreath
  • startscum
  • savescummer
  • oomska
  • scumbutt
  • scum-ridden
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kewH- →