Scruple
/ˈskruːpəl/noun
A feeling of moral doubt or hesitation; also, a very small weight or amount.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin *scrupulus*, a “small sharp stone,” because Romans used the image of a pebble causing discomfort to describe the nagging prick of doubt.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*(s)ker-
“to cut, scratch, or scrape”
Latin
Latin
scrupus
“a sharp stone, pebble, or rough point”
Latin
Latin
scrupulus
“a small sharp stone; a nagging doubt or unease”
Old French
Old French
scrupule
“a scruple; moral hesitation or doubt”
Middle English
English
scrupul
“a doubt, misgiving, or moral hesitation”
Modern English
English
scruple
“a feeling of moral doubt or hesitation; also, a small unit of weight”
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