Where does “scar” come from?

scar (Middle English) comes from Middle English skar, from Old Norse skarð, from Proto-Germanic skardą, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱer- — dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth.

Ancestry of “scar”, step by step

scar traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English skar

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishskarincision, cut, fissure
2Old Norseskarðnotch, hack; notch, chink, gap
3Proto-Germanicskardąnotch; nick
4Proto-Indo-European(s)ḱer-dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth

via Old French escare

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchescarescab
2Latineschăra—
3Ancient Greekἐσχάραhearth; house; sacrificing hearth

Words derived from “scar”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱer- →Every word from Proto-Germanic skardą →Every word from Old Norse skarð →