Word of the Day - 01/08/26
scurrilous
/'skɜrələs/(adj.): expressing offensive reproach
The candidate's speech was filled with scurrilous accusations against his rival, using vulgar and offensive language to damage their reputation.
Word Origin
The word 'scurrilous' originates from the Latin word scurrilis, meaning 'buffoon-like' or 'jocular'. This Latin term itself is derived from scurra, which referred to a fashionable idler, dandy, or a city-bred wit, later evolving to mean a buffoon or jester. The English word 'scurrilous' is formed from scurrilis combined with the English adjectival suffix '-ous' (from Latin -osus, meaning 'full of' or 'characterized by'). Thus, 'scurrilous' essentially means 'full of buffoonery' or 'characterized by the manner of a buffoon', leading to its modern sense of abusive or defamatory.
Words with a similar origin include 'scurrile', which is a direct predecessor and often used as a synonym for 'scurrilous', and 'scurrility', which refers to the quality of being scurrilous or to scurrilous language itself. Both 'scurrile' and 'scurrility' stem from the same Latin root scurra.