scurrilous

English

Etymology

From Latin scurrīlis (“buffoon-like”) + -ous, from scurra (“a buffoon”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈskʌ.ɹə.ləs/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈskɜɹələs/, /ˈskʌɹələs/

Adjective

scurrilous (comparative more scurrilous, superlative most scurrilous)

1. (of a person) Given to vulgar verbal abuse; foul-mouthed.
2. (of language) Coarse, vulgar, abusive, or slanderous.
   • 2022 February 3, Heather Stewart, quoting Munira Mirza, “Boris Johnson’s policy chief quits over PM’s ‘scurrilous’ Savile remark”, in The Guardian‎:

     She said Johnson was “a better man than many of your detractors will ever understand”, adding that it was “so desperately sad that you let yourself down by making a scurrilous accusation against the leader of the opposition”.

3. Gross, vulgar and evil.

   We have had our address used by scurrilous crooks in the past to gain assets by fraud.

   • 2013, Alex Himelfarb, Jordan Himelfarb, Tax Is Not a Four-Letter Word: A Different Take on Taxes in Canada‎:

     "Some days, I try to imagine how scurrilous it would be for a left-leaning government in Canada to embark on such a costly political agenda for, say, a 10-year period, and still find itself unable to convince Canadians that the majority have benefited from this."

   • 1967, Stan Lee, John Romita Sr, The Amazing Spider-Man #48:

     "Instead, another dangerous killer now roams our streets, thanks to that scurrilous, sinister super-heel!"

Related terms

• scurrile
• scurrilously
• scurrilousness
• scurrility

Translations

Further reading

• “scurrilous”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “scurrilous”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “scurrilous”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.