Online Etymology Dictionary

scalar: "resembling a ladder," 1656, from L. scalaris "of or pertaining to a ladder," from scalæ (pl.) "ladder, steps" (see scale (n.2)). Mathematical sense first recorded 1846.
scalawag: "disreputable fellow," 1848, Amer.Eng., originally in trade union jargon, of uncertain origin, perhaps an alteration of Scottish scallag "farm servant, rustic" (by influence of wag "habitual joker"). An early recorded sense was "undersized or worthless animal" (1854), which suggests an alteration of Scalloway, one of the Shetland Islands, in allusion to little Shetland ponies. In U.S. history, used from 1862 of anti-Confederate native white Southerners.
scald (v.): early 13c., from O.N.Fr. escalder (O.Fr. eschalder, Fr. échauder) "to scald," from L.L. excaldare "bathe in hot water," from L. ex- "off" + calidus "hot" (see calorie).
scale (n1.): "skin plates on fish or snakes," c.1300, from O.Fr. escale (12c., Mod.Fr. écale) "scale, husk," from Frank., from P.Gmc. *skælo "split, divide" (cf. O.H.G. scala "shell," Goth. skalja "tile," O.E. scealu "shell, husk), from PIE base *(s)kel- "to cut, cleave, split" (cf. L. culter "knife," scalpere "to cut, scrape;" O.C.S. skolika "mussel, shell," Rus. skala "rind, bark," O.E. scell "shell"). In reference to humans, as a condition of certain skin diseases, it is attested from c.1400. As what falls from one's eye when blindness ends (usually fig.), it echoes Acts ix.18 (L. tanquam squamæ, Gk. hosei lepides). Verb meaning "to remove the scales from (a fish)" is attested from c.1440.
scale (n2.): "pan of a balance," late 14c., earlier "drinking cup" (c.1200), from O.N. skal "bowl, drinking cup," in pl., "weighing scale" from P.Gmc. *skælo "split, divide" (cf. O.N. skel "shell," O.E. scalu, O.S. skala, O.H.G. scala, Ger. Schale, M.Du. scale, Du. schaal "drinking cup, bowl, shell, scale of a balance"), see scale (n.1). The connecting sense seems to be of half of a bivalve ("split") shell used as a drinking cup or a pan for weighing. But according to Paulus Diaconus the "drinking cup" sense originated from a supposed custom of making goblets from skulls (see skull).
scale (v.): "to climb," c.1380, from L. scala, from scandere "to climb" (see scan). This is also the source (perhaps via It. scala) of the noun in the musical sense (1597), and the meaning "proportion of a representation to the actual object" (1662). Scale down "reduce" is attested from 1887.
scalene: "having unequal sides," 1684, from L.L. scalenus, from Gk. skalenos "uneven, unequal, rough," from skallein "chop, hoe," related to skelos "leg" (lit. "bending") and skolios "crooked," from PIE *(s)qel- "crooked, curved, bent, perverted."
scallion: c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. escalone, O.N.Fr. escalogne, or O.Fr. eschaloigne, all from V.L. *escalonia, from L. (cæpa) Ascalonia "(onion) from Ascalon," seaport in southwestern Levant (modern Ashkelon). Cognate with shallot.
scallop: "bivalve mollusk," 1401, from O.Fr. escalope "shell," variant of eschalope, probably from a Gmc. source (cf. O.N. skalpr "sheath," M.Du. schelpe "shell"); see scale (n.1). Extended 17c. to objects shaped like scallop shells, especially in design and dress. The verb in the cookery sense, "to bake in a scallop shell-shaped pan," is attested from 1737.
scalp (n.): c.1300, presumably from a Scand. source (though exact cognates are wanting) related to O.N. skalli "bald head," skalpr "sheath," from the source of scale (n.2). Fr. scalpe, Ger., Swed. skalp are from English. The verb meaning "to cut off (someone's) scalp" is recorded from 1676, originally in ref. to N.Amer. Indians.
scalpel: 1742, from L. scalpellum, dim. of scalprum "knife, chisel, tool for scraping or cutting," from scalpere "to carve, cut," related to sculpere "to carve," from PIE base *(s)kel- "to cut, cleave."
scalper: "person who re-sells tickets at unauthorized prices for a profit," 1869, Amer.Eng., originally of the unused portions of long-distance railroad tickets. Probably from the verbal sense of scalp (q.v.).; perhaps the connecting sense is the bounty offered for scalps of certain destructive animals (attested in New England from 1703) and sometimes Indians (i.e., having only part of something, but still getting paid). Some, though, see a connection rather to scalpel, the surgical instrument.
scam: 1963, n. and v., U.S. slang, a carnival term, of unknown origin. Perhaps related to 19c. British slang scamp "cheater, swindler" (see scamp (n.)).
scamp (n.): 1782, "highway robber," probably from dialectal verb scamp "to roam" (1753), shortened from scamper. Used affectionately in sense "rascal" since 1808.
scamp (v.): "do in a hasty manner," 1837, perhaps from a Scand. source (cf. O.N. skemma "to shorten," from skammr "short"), or a blend of scant and skimp (q.v.).
scamper: "to run quickly," 1687, probably from Flem. schampeeren, frequentative of schampen "run away," from O.N.Fr. escamper (O.Fr. eschamper) "to run away, flee," from V.L. *excampare "decamp," lit. "leave the field," from L. ex campo, from ex "out of" + campo, ablative of campus "field" (see campus). A vogue word late 17c.
scampi: 1930, pl. of It. scampo "prawn," ult. from Gk. kampe "a bending, a winding," from PIE base *kamp- "to bend."
scan (v.): late 14c., "mark off verse in metric feet," from L.L. scandere "to scan verse," originally, in classical L., "to climb" (the connecting notion is of the rising and falling rhythm of poetry), from PIE *skand- "to spring, leap" (cf. Skt. skandati "hastens, leaps, jumps;" Gk. skandalon "stumbling block;" M.Ir. sescaind "he sprang, jumped," sceinm "a bound, jump"). Missing -d in English is probably from confusion with suffix -ed (see lawn (1)). Sense of "look at closely, examine" first recorded 1540s. The (opposite) sense of "look over quickly, skim" is first attested 1926. The noun is recorded from 1706. Scanner as a type of mechanical device is recorded from 1927.
scandal: 1580s, "discredit caused by irreligious conduct," from M.Fr. scandale, from L.L. scandalum "cause for offense, stumbling block, temptation," from Gk. skandalon "a trap or snare laid for an enemy," in N.T., metaphorically as "a stumbling block, offense;" originally "trap with a springing device," from PIE *skand- "jump" (cf. Gk. skandalizein "to make to stumble, give offense to" someone; see scan; cf. also slander). Attested from early 13c., but the modern word is a reborrowing. Meaning "malicious gossip" is from 1590s; sense of "person whose conduct is a disgrace" is from 1630s. Scandalize (late 15c.) originally meant "make a public scandal of;" sense of "shock by doing something improper" first recorded 1640s. Scandal sheet "sensational newspaper" is from 1939.
Scandinavian: 1765, from L.L. Scandinavia, a mistake for Scadinavia, from a Gmc. source (cf. O.E. Scedenig, O.N. Skaney "south end of Sweden"), from P.Gmc. *skadinaujo "Scadia island," first element of uncertain origin, second element from *aujo "thing on the water," from PIE *akwa- "water." It may truly have been an island when the word was formed; the geography of the Baltic Sea has changed dramatically since the end of the Ice Ages.
scansion: 1671, "action of marking off of verse in metric feet," from L.L. scansionem (nom. scansio), from L., "act of climbing," from scandere "to climb" (see scan).
scant: c.1350, from O.N. skamt, neut. of skammr "short, brief." from P.Gmc. *skamma- (cf. O.E. scamm "short," O.H.G. skemmen "to shorten"), perhaps ult. "hornless." Scanty is first recorded 1660.
scape (n.): "scenery view," 1773, abstracted from landscape (q.v.); as a new comb. element, first attested use is 1796, in prisonscape.
scape (v.): c.1275, aphetic form of escape; frequent in prose till late 17c.
scapegoat: 1530, "goat sent into the wilderness on the Day of Atonement, symbolic bearer of the sins of the people," coined by Tyndale from scape (n.) + goat, to translate L. caper emissarius, a mistranslation in Vulgate of Heb. 'azazel (Lev. xvi:8,10,26), which was read as 'ez ozel "goat that departs," but is actually the proper name of a devil or demon in Jewish mythology (sometimes identified with Canaanite deity Aziz). Jerome's mistake also was followed by Martin Luther (der ledige Bock), Symmachus (tragos aperkhomenos), and others (cf. Fr. bouc émissaire). The Revised Version (1884) restores Azazel. Meaning "one who is blamed or punished for the mistakes or sins of others" first recorded 1824; the verb is attested from 1943.
scapegrace: 1809, from scape (v.) + grace; as if "one who escapes the grace of God." Possibly influenced by scapegoat (q.v.).
scapula: "shoulder blade," 1578, Mod.L., from L.L. scapula "shoulder," from L. scapulæ (pl.) "shoulders, shoulder blades," of unknown origin; perhaps originally "spades, shovels" (cf. Gk. skaphein "to dig out"), on notion of similar shape, but actual shoulder blades may have been used as digging tools in primitive times.
scar (n.): late 14c., from O.Fr. escare "scab," from L.L. eschara, from Gk. eskhara "scab formed after a burn," lit. "hearth, fireplace," of unknown origin. English sense probably influenced by M.E. skar (late 14c.) "crack, cut, incision," from O.N. skarð, related to score. Figurative sense attested from 1580s. The verb is first recorded 1550s. Related: Scarred; scarring.
scarab: "black dung beetle," held sacred by the ancient Egyptians, 1579, from M.Fr. scarabeé, from L. scarabæus "a type of beetle," from Gk. karabos "beetle, crayfish," a foreign word, probably Macedonian (the suffix -bos is non-Greek).
scaramouche: 1662, name of a cowardly braggart (supposed by some to represent a Spanish don) in traditional Italian comedy, from It. Scaramuccia, lit. "skirmish," from schermire "to fence," from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. skirmen "defend"); see skirmish. A vogue word in late 17c. London due to the popularity of Tiberio Fiurelli in the part (his company of It. players arrived in London 1673).
scarce: c.1300, "restricted in quantity," from O.N.Fr. scars (O.Fr. eschars) from V.L. *escarpsus, from *excarpere "pluck out," from L. excerpere "pluck out" (see excerpt). Phrase to make oneself scarce "go away" first attested 1809 in "Gil Blas." Related: Scarcely.
scarcity: c.1300, from O.N.Fr. escarceté (O.Fr. escharsete), from eschars (see scarce).
scare (v.): c.1200, from O.N. skirra "to frighten," related to skjarr "timid, shy," of unknown origin. The noun is attested from 1520s. To scare up "procure, obtain" is first recorded 1846, Amer.Eng., from notion of rousing game from cover.
scarecrow: 1550s, from scare + crow. Earliest reference is to a person employed to scare birds. Stick-figure sense is implied by 1580s.
scared: p.t. and pp. of scare. Scared stiff first recorded 1900; scared shitless is from 1936. Scaredy-cat "timid person" first attested 1933, in Dorothy Parker.
scaremonger: 1888, from scare + monger.
scarf (3): "eat hastily," 1960, U.S. teen slang, originally a noun meaning "food, meal" (1932), perhaps imitative, or from scoff (attested in a similar sense from 1846). Or perhaps from a dial. survival of O.E. sceorfan "to gnaw, bite" (see scarf (2)); a similar word is found in a S.African context in the 1600s.
scarf (1): "strip of cloth," 1555, "a band worn across the body or over the shoulders," probably from O.N.Fr. escarpe "sash, sling," which probably is identical with O.Fr. escherpe "pilgrim's purse suspended from the neck," perhaps from Frank. *skirpja, from a Gmc. source (cf. O.N. skreppa "small bag, wallet, satchel"), or from M.L. scirpa "little bag woven of rushes," from L. scirpus "rush, bulrush," of unknown origin. As a cold-weather covering for the neck, first recorded 1844. Plural form scarfs began to yield to scarves early 18c., on model of half/halves, etc.
scarf (2): "connecting joint," 1276, probably from O.N. skarfr "nail for fastening a joint." A general North Sea Gmc. ship-building word (cf. Du. scherf, Swed. skarf, Norw. skarv), the exact relationship of all these is unclear. Also borrowed into Romanic (cf. Fr. écart, Sp. escarba); perhaps ult. from P.Gmc. *skerf-, *skarf- (cf. O.E. sceorfan "to gnaw, bite").
scarification: c.1400, "act of covering with scratches or slight cuts," from O.Fr. scarification (1314), from L.L. scarificationem, noun of action from scarificare, from L. scarifare "scratch open," from Gk. skariphasthai "to scratch an outline, sketch," from skariphos "pencil, stylus," from PIE base *skribh- "to cut, separate, sift" (see script). Scarify in the sense "cover with scars" (1687) is a sense-shift from infl. of scar.
scarlatina: 1803, from Mod.L. scarlatina (Sydenham, 1676), from It. scarlattina (Lancelotti, 1527), fem. of scarlattino (adj.), dim. of scarlatto "scarlet" (see scarlet). It is a synonym for scarlet fever, not a milder form of it.
scarlet: mid-13c., "rich cloth" (often, but not necessarily, bright red in color), from an aphetic form of O.Fr. escarlate (12c., Mod.Fr. écarlate), from M.L. scarlatum "scarlet, cloth of scarlet" (cf. It. scarlatto, Sp. escarlate), from Pers. saqirlat "a kind of rich cloth," variant of siqillat "scarlet cloth, rich cloth," of unknown origin (Arabic siqillat "fine cloth" probably is ult. from Pers.). In reference to color, attested from late 14c. Scarlet lady, etc. (Isa. i:18, Rev. xvii:1-5) is from notion of "red with shame or indignation." Scarlet fever is from 1670s.
scarp: "steep slope," 1589, from It. scarpa "slope," probably from a Gmc. source (cf. M.H.G. schroffe "sharp rock, crag," O.E. scræf "cave, grave"). Fr. escarpe is from It.
scary: 1580s, from scare + -y (2).
scat (1): "go away!" 1838, from expression quicker than s'cat "in a great hurry," probably representing a hiss followed by the word cat.
scat (2): "nonsense patter sung to jazz," 1926, probably of imitative origin, from one of the syllables used.
scat (3): "filth, dung," 1950, from Gk. stem skat- "dung" (see scatology).
scathe (v.): c.1200, from O.N. skaða "to hurt, injure," from P.Gmc. *skath- (cf. O.E. sceaþian "to hurt, injure," O.Fris. skethia, M.Du. scaden, Du. schaden, O.H.G. scadon, Ger. schaden, Goth. scaþjan "to injure, damage"), from PIE base *sket- "to injure." Only cognate outside Gmc. seems to be in Gk. 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).
scatology: "obscene literature," 1876, from Gk. skat-, stem of skor (gen. skatos) "excrement" (from PIE base *sker- "to defecate") + -logy "treatise, study."
scatter: 1154, possibly a northern Eng. variant of M.E. schateren (see shatter), reflecting Norse influence. Scatterbrain is first recorded 1790. Scattershot (adj.) is attested from 1961, fig. use of term for a kind of gun charge meant to broadcast the pellets when fired.