Online Etymology Dictionary

scathe (v.): c.1200, from Old Norse skaða "to hurt, injure," from Proto-Germanic *skath- (cf. Old English sceaþian "to hurt, injure," Old Frisian skethia, Middle Dutch scaden, Dutch schaden, Old High German scadon, German schaden, Gothic scaþjan "to injure, damage"), from PIE root *sket- "to injure." Only cognate outside Germanic seems to be in Greek a-skethes "unharmed, unscathed." Survives mostly in its negative form, unscathed, and in figurative meaning "sear with invective or satire" (1852, usually as scathing) which developed from the sense of "scar, scorch" used by Milton in "Paradise Lost" i.613 (1667). Related: Scathingly.
scatology (n.): "obscene literature," 1876, from Greek skat-, stem of skor (genitive skatos) "excrement" (from PIE root *sker- "to defecate") + -logy "treatise, study." Related: Scatological.
scatter (v.): mid-12c., possibly a northern English variant of Middle English schateren (see shatter), reflecting Norse influence. Related: Scattered; scattering. Scattershot (adj.) is attested from 1961; figurative use of term for a kind of gun charge meant to broadcast the pellets when fired.
scatterbrain (n.): 1790, from scatter + brain (n.). Related: Scatterbrained.
scavenge (v.): 1640s, back-formation from scavenger. Related: Scavenged; scavenging.
scavenger (n.): originally "person hired to remove refuse from streets," from Middle English scawageour (late 14c.), London official in charge of collecting tax on goods sold by foreign merchants, from Anglo-French scawager, from scawage "toll or duty on goods offered for sale in one's precinct" (c.1400), from Old North French escauwage "inspection," from a Germanic source (cf. Old High German scouwon, Old English sceawian "to look at, inspect," see show (v.)). With intrusive -n- (c.1500) as in harbinger, passenger, messenger. Extended to animals 1590s. Scavenger hunt is attested from 1940.
scenario (n.): 1878, "sketch of the plot of a play," from Italian scenario, from Late Latin scenarius "of stage scenes," from Latin scena "scene" (see scene). Meaning "imagined situation" is first recorded 1962.
scenary (n.): 1690s, from Italian scenario; obsolete nativized form of scenario.
scene (n.): 1530s, "subdivision of an act of a play," also "stage-setting," from Middle French scène (14c.), from Latin scaena, scena "scene, stage," from Greek skene "scene, stage," originally "tent or booth," related to skia "shadow, shade," via notion of "something that gives shade," from PIE root *skai- "to shine, flicker, glimmer" (see shine).

Meaning "place in which the action of a literary work occurs" is attested from 1590s; general sense (non-literary) is recorded from 1590s. U.S. slang sense of "setting or milieu for a specific group or activity" is attested from 1951 in Beat jargon. Meaning "stormy encounter between two or more persons" is attested from 1761. Behind the scenes (1660s) is an image from the theater, "amid actors and stage machinery" (where patrons are not admitted). Scene of the crime (1923) first attested in Agatha Christie.
scenery (n.): "decoration of a theater stage," 1774, earlier scenary (1690s); see scene + -ery. Meaning "a landscape or view, a pictorial scene" is from 1777.
scenic (adj.): 1620s, "of or belonging to the stage or drama," from French scénique (14c.), from Latin scænicus, from Greek skenikos, from skene (see scene). Meaning "of or belonging to natural scenery" is recorded from 1842. Of roads, etc., "offering fine views," recorded since 1914. Scenic railway is recorded from 1894.
scent (v.): c.1400, from Old French sentir "to feel, perceive, smell," from Latin sentire " to feel, perceive, sense" (see sense (n.)). Originally a hunting term. The -c- appeared 17c., perhaps by influence of ascent, descent, etc., or by influence of science. Related: Scented; scenting.
scent (n.): late 14c., "scent, smell," from scent (v.). Almost always applied to agreeable odors.
scepter (n.): c.1300, from Old French sceptre, from Latin sceptrum, from Greek skeptron "staff," from root of skeptesthai "to prop oneself." Cognate with Old English sceaft (see shaft (n.1)).
sceptic (n.): chiefly British English spelling of skeptic (q.v.).
sch-: this letter group can represent five distinct sounds in English; it first was used by Middle English writers to render Old English sc-, a sound now generally pronounced "-sh-." Sometimes it was miswritten for -ch-. It also was taken in from German (schnapps) and Yiddish (schlemiel). In words derived from classical languages, it represents Latin sch-, Greek skh-, but in some of these words the spelling is a restoration and the pronunciation does not follow it (cf. schism).
schadenfreude (n.): "malicious joy in the misfortunes of others," 1922, German, literally "damage-joy," from schaden "damage, harm, injury" (see scathe) + freude, from Old High German frewida "joy," from fro "happy," literally "hopping for joy," from Proto-Germanic *frawa- (see frolic).
What a fearful thing is it that any language should have a word expressive of the pleasure which men feel at the calamities of others; for the existence of the word bears testimony to the existence of the thing. And yet in more than one such a word is found. ... In the Greek epikhairekakia, in the German, 'Schadenfreude.' [Richard C. Trench, "On the Study of Words," 1852]
schatzi (n.): "German girlfriend," from German Schatzi, diminutive of Schatz, a term of endearment for a woman, literally "treasure."
schedule (n.): late 14c., sedule, cedule "ticket, label, slip of paper with writing on it," from Old French cedule, from Late Latin schedula "strip of paper," diminutive of Latin schida "one of the strips forming a papyrus sheet," from Greek skhida "splinter," From stem of skhizein "to cleave, split" (see shed (v.) and cf. schism).

The notion is of slips of paper attached to a document as an appendix (a sense maintained in U.S. tax forms). The specific meaning "printed timetable" is first recorded 1863 in railway use (the verb in this sense is from 1862). Modern spelling is 15c., in imitation of Latin; the modern British pronunciation ("shed-yul") is from French influence, while the U.S. pronunciation ("sked-yul") is from the practice of Webster, and is based on the Greek original.
Scheherezade: female narrator of the "Arabian Nights;" the name used by 1851 for "(young attractive) female teller of long tales."
schema (n.): plural schemata, 1796, from Greek schema (see scheme (n.)).
schematic (adj.): "pertaining to schemes," 1701, from scheme (q.v.). Noun meaning "diagram" is first attested 1929.
scheme (n.): 1550s, "figure of speech," from Medieval Latin schema "shape, figure, form, figure of speech," from Greek skhema (genitive skhematos) "figure, appearance, the nature of a thing," related to skhein "to get," and ekhein "to have," from PIE root *segh- "to hold, to hold in one's power, to have" (cf. Sanskrit sahate "he masters, overcomes," sahah "power, victory;" Avestan hazah "power, victory;" Greek ekhein "to have, hold;" Gothic sigis, Old High German sigu, Old Norse sigr, Old English sige "victory").

The sense "program of action" first is attested 1640s. Unfavorable overtones (selfish, devious) began to creep in early 18c. Color scheme is attested from 1884.
scheme (v.): "devise a scheme," 1767, from scheme (n.). Related: Schemed; scheming.
scherzo (n.): 1852, from Italian scherzo, literally "sport, joke," from scherzare "to jest or joke," from a Germanic source (cf. Middle High German scherzen "to jump merrily, enjoy oneself," German scherz "sport"). The lively second or third movement in a multi-movement work.
schism (n.): late 14c., scisme, "dissention within the church," from Old French cisme "a cleft, split," from Late Latin schisma, from Greek skhisma (genitive skhismatos) "division, cleft," from stem of skhizein "to split" (see shed (v.)). Spelling restored 16c., but pronunciation unchanged. Often in reference to the Great Schism (1378-1417) in the Western Church.
schismatic: late 14c. (n.); mid-15c. (adj.), from Old French schismatique, from Church Latin schismaticus, from Greek skhismatikos, from schisma (see schism). Related: Schismatical.
schist (n.): 1795 (earlier schistus, c.1600), from French schiste, from Latin schistos lapis "stone that splits easily" (Pliny), from Greek skhistos "divided, separated," from skhizein "to split" (see shed (v.)). The rock splits easily in layers. Liddell and Scott says Greek skhistos lithos was "probably talc."
schistosomiasis: 1906, from schistosoma (1905), from Greek skhistos "divided" (see schist) + soma "body" (see somato-).
schizo: 1945 (n.), 1920s (adj.), slang shortening of schizophrenic.
schizoid (adj.): "resembling schizophrenia," 1925, from German schizoid (1921), from schiz(ophrenia) + Greek -oeides "like," from eidos "form, shape" (see -oid).
schizophrenia (n.): 1912, from Modern Latin, literally "a splitting of the mind," from German Schizophrenie, coined in 1910 by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler (1857-1939), from Greek skhizein "to split" (see shed (v.)) + phren (genitive phrenos) "diaphragm, heart, mind," of unknown origin. Slang shortening schizo first attested 1920s as an adjective, 1945 as a noun.
schlemazel (n.): "born loser," 1948, from Yiddish shlim mazel "rotten luck," from Middle High German slim "crooked" + Hebrew mazzal "luck." British slang shemozzle "an unhappy plight" (1889) is probably from the same source.
A shlemiel is the fellow who climbs to the top of a ladder with a bucket of paint and then drops it. A shimazl is the fellow on whose head the bucket falls. [Rep. Stephen J. Solarz (D.-N.Y.), 1986]
schlemiel (n.): "awkward, clumsy person," 1892, from Yiddish shlemiel "bungler," from main character in A. von Chamisso's German fable "The Wonderful History of Peter Schlemihl" (1813), probably from Biblical name Shelumiel (Num. i:6), chief of the tribe of Simeon, identified with the Simeonite prince Zimri ben Salu, who was killed while committing adultery. (cf. schlemazel).
schlep (v.): "to carry or drag," 1922 (in Joyce's "Ulysses"), from Yiddish shlepen "to drag," from Middle High German sleppen, related to Old High German sleifen "to drag," and slifan "to slide, slip" (cf. Middle English slippen; see slip (v.)). The noun meaning "stupid person, loser" is from 1939, short for schlepper "person of little worth" (1934), from schlep (v.).
schlock (n.): "trash," 1915, from American Yiddish shlak, from German Schlacke "dregs, scum, dross" (see slag). Alternative etymology is from Yiddish shlogn "to strike" (cf. German schlagen; see slay). Derived form schlockmeister "purveyor of cheap merchandise" is from 1965. Schlocky is attested from 1968.
schlong (n.): "penis," 1969, from Yiddish shlang, literally "snake."
schlub (n.): "worthless oaf," 1964, from Yiddish, perhaps from Polish żłób in a sense "blockhead."
schm-: substituted for the initial sound of a word and reduplicated with it to convey derision (e.g. "Oedipus schmoedipus" in the punchline of the old joke about the Jewish mother and the psychiatrist), 1929, from the numerous Yiddish words that begin with this sound.
schmaltz (n.): "banal or excessive sentimentalism," 1935, from Yiddish shmalts, literally "melted fat," from Middle High German smalz, from Old High German, related to smelzan "to melt." Modern German Schmalz "fat, grease" has the same figurative meaning. First mentioned in English as "a derogatory term used to describe straight jazz" ["Vanity Fair," Nov. 1935].
schmaltzy (adj.): 1935, from schmaltz + -y (2). Related: Schmaltziness.
schmear (n.): 1961, "bribery," from Yiddish shmir "spread," from shmirn "to grease, smear," from Middle High German smiren, from Old High German smirwen "to smear" (see smear (v.); cf. slang to grease (someone's) palm "to bribe"). Phrase the whole schmear "the entire affair" is attested from 1969, originally show business jargon,
schmendrick (n.): "stupid person," 1944, from Yiddish shmendrik, from the name of a character in an operetta by Avrom Goldfaden (1840-1908), "Father of Yiddish Theater."
Schmidt: type of astronomical telescope lens used for photography, 1939, from Estonian-born German optician Bernhard Voldemar Schmidt (1879-1935), who invented it.
schmoo: fabulous animal, ready to fulfill man's wants, 1948, invented by U.S. cartoonist Al Capp (Alfred Caplin, 1909-1979).
schmooze (v.): also shmooze, "to chat intimately," 1897, from Yiddish shmuesn "to chat," from shmues "idle talk, chat," from Hebrew shemu'oth "news, rumors." Schmoozer is from 1909.
schmuck (n.): also shmuck, "contemptible person," 1892, from East Yiddish shmok, literally "penis," probably from Old Polish smok "grass snake, dragon," and likely not the same word as German schmuck "jewelry, adornments," which is related to Low German smuck "supple, tidy, trim, elegant," and to Old Norse smjuga "slip, step through" (see smock).

In Jewish homes, the word was "regarded as so vulgar as to be taboo" [Leo Rosten, "The Joys of Yiddish," 1968] and Lenny Bruce wrote that saying it on stage got him arrested on the West Coast "by a Yiddish undercover agent who had been placed in the club several nights running to determine if my use of Yiddish terms was a cover for profanity." Euphemized as schmoe, which was the source of Al Capp's cartoon strip creature the schmoo.

"[A]dditional associative effects from German schmuck 'jewels, decoration' cannot be excluded (cross-linguistically commonplace slang: cf. Eng. 'family jewels')" [Mark R.V. Southern, "Contagious Couplings: Transmission of Expressives in Yiddish Echo Phrases," 2005]. But the English phrase refers to the testicles and is a play on words, the "family" element being the essential ones. Words for "decoration" seem not to be among the productive sources of European "penis" slang terms.
schnapps (n.): 1818, kind of Holland gin, from German Schnaps, literally "a mouthful, gulp," from Low German snaps, from snappen "to snap" (see snap).
schnauzer (n.): breed of terrier, 1923, from German Schnauzer, literally "growler," from schnauzen "to snarl, growl," from Schnauze "snout, muzzle," which is related to Middle English snute, snoute "snout" (see snout).
schnitzel (n.): veal cutlet, 1854, from German Schnitzel "cutlet," literally "a slice," from Schnitz "a cut, slice" (+ -el, diminutive suffix), from schnitzen "to carve," frequentative of schneiden "to cut," from Old High German snidan, cognate with Old English sniþan "to cut," from Proto-Germanic *snithanan.