scurrile

S1C3U1R1R1I1L1E1
UK/ˈskʌɹaɪl/US/ˈskɝɹɪl/US/ˈskɝɹaɪl/

adjective

Scurrilous.

Scrabble 10

Meanings

adjectivescurrile (comparative more scurrile, superlative most scurrile)

comparative more scurrile · superlative most scurrile

  1. archaicScurrilous.

    the wretched affectation of scurril laughter

    1668, Thomas Spratt, The Works of Mr Abraham Cowley, Preface
    3 more examples

    For had an Angel bin his discipliner, unlesse it were for dwelling too much upon Ciceronianisms, & had chastiz'd the reading, not the vanity, it had bin plainly partiall; first to correct him for grave Cicero, and not for scurrill Plautus, whom he confesses to have bin reading not long before

    1644, John Milton, Areopagitica; a Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England, London: [s.n.], →OCLC

    ’Tis not scurrile this, but chaste, honest, most part serious, and even of religion itself.

    1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, III.1.1.i

    A scurrile or obscene jest[…] will better advance you at the court of Charles than your father's ancient name.

    1822, [Walter Scott], Peveril of the Peak. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC

Origin

  1. Latinscurrilis
  2. Frenchscurrile
  3. Englishscurrile

From French scurrile, from Latin scurrilis.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

scurrile. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scurrile

MLA

“scurrile.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scurrile. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “scurrile,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scurrile.

Source: scurrile on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.