scrutiny

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*(s)ker-“to cut”
2. Late Latin · derived fromscrūta“rubbish, broken trash”
3. Vulgar Latin · derived fromscrūtor“to search or examine thoroughly”
4. Medieval Latin · derived fromscrūtinium“a search, an inquiry”
5. Middle English · inherited fromscrutiny
6. English todayscrutiny

From Middle English scrutiny, from Medieval Latin scrūtinium (“a search, an inquiry”), from Vulgar Latin scrūtor (“to search or examine thoroughly”), from Late Latin scrūta (“rubbish, broken trash”), from an extension of Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut”).

Words from the same roots