Scathement
/ˈskeɪðmənt/noun
Injury, damage, or the act of causing harm; a rare or obsolete noun.
Did you know?Scathement comes from the same ancient “cut” family as words such as “scar,” “shear,” and “score,” preserving an old image of harm as something that leaves a mark.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sker-
“To cut, split, or make an incision; a reconstructed root associated with separation and marking.”
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*skaþō
“Harm, injury, or damage; the reconstructed Germanic source associated with scathe.”
Old Norse
Old Norse
skaði
“Harm, damage, or injury.”
Old English
Old English
sceaðian
“To harm, injure, or damage.”
Middle English
Middle English
scathen / scathe
“To injure, damage, or bring loss; later also used as a noun for harm.”
16th Century
English
scathement
“Injury, damage, or the condition produced by scathing.”