Scandalousness
/ˈskæn.dəl.əs.nəs/noun
The quality of being scandalous; behavior or a state of affairs that causes public outrage or shock.
Did you know?Its deepest root is the Greek skándalon, originally a trap-stick or snare trigger, so the word’s history is literally about something that makes you stumble—physically first, morally later.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
skándalon (σκάνδαλον)
“a trap-stick; snare; later, an offense or cause of moral stumbling”
Late Greek / Biblical Greek
Greek
skandalízō (σκανδαλίζω)
“to cause to stumble; to offend; to lead into sin or error”
Late Latin
Latin
scandalum
“a stumbling block; offense; disgrace”
Old French
Old French
scandale
“public disgrace; outrage; scandal”
Middle English
English
scandalous
“causing scandal; disgraceful; offensive to public morality”
Modern English
English
scandalousness
“the quality or state of being scandalous”