Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “scurry” come from?

Scurry derives from English hurry-scurry, a rhyming reduplication of English hurry, which comes from Middle English horien and hurren, ultimately tracing to Proto-Germanic hurzaną and Proto-Indo-European ḱers-.

scurry (English): To run with quick light steps, to scamper; A dash

Definitions

  1. To run with quick light steps, to scamper; A dash

Ancestry of “scurry”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishhurry-skurryTo hurry; act hurriedly; A state of confusion and...
2EnglishhurryRushed action; Urgency; an incidence of a...
3Middle Englishhoriento rush, impel
4Middle Englishhurrento buzz; to vibrate rapidly, buzz
5Proto-Germanichurzanąto rush
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱers-to run

Words derived from “scurry”

  • scurrying
  • scurrier
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱers- →