Etymology

scratch

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Today it means: To rub a surface with a sharp object, especially by a living creature to remove itching with nails, claws, etc. Full definition →

Middle English scracchen
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scratch · verb, noun, adjective1

  1. Middle English · derived fromscratten“to scratch”
  2. Middle English · inherited fromscracchen
  3. English todayscratch

From Middle English scracchen, of uncertain origin. Potentially a blend of Middle English scratten (“to scratch”) and cracchen (“to scratch”). Ultimately onomatopoeic. More at scrat and cratch. Compare Old English scrama, Old Norse skråma, German Schramme (“scratch”), which may be related.

Scratch · proper noun2

From scratch.

Words from the same roots

Middle Englishscratten all →

scrat

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.