*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of scarf

Probably from Old Northern French escarpe (compare Old French escharpe (“pilgrim's purse suspended from the neck”), which see). The verb is derived from the noun. Doublet of scrip.

5 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 5 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1 · variant 1/2

Original entry ↗
verb

To throw on loosely; to put on like a scarf. · To dress with a scarf, or as with a scarf; to cover with a loose wrapping. · To cover as or like a scarf.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Probably from Old Northern French escarpe (compare Old French escharpe (“pilgrim's purse suspended from the neck”), which see). The verb is derived from the noun. Doublet of scrip.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro-nor",
        "3": "escarpe"
      },
      "expansion": "Old Northern French escarpe"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "fro",
        "2": "escharpe",
        "3": "",
        "4": "pilgrim's purse suspended from the neck"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French escharpe (“pilgrim's purse suspended from the neck”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "dbt",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "scrip"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of scrip"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "escarpe",
      "escarpe#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "escharpe",
      "escharpe#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "scrip",
      "scrip#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To throw on loosely; to put on like a scarf.",
        "To dress with a scarf, or as with a scarf; to cover with a loose wrapping.",
        "To cover as or like a scarf."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
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Source etymology 1 · variant 2/2

Original entry ↗
noun

A long, often knitted, garment worn around the neck. · A headscarf. · A neckcloth or cravat.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Probably from Old Northern French escarpe (compare Old French escharpe (“pilgrim's purse suspended from the neck”), which see). The verb is derived from the noun. Doublet of scrip.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro-nor",
        "3": "escarpe"
      },
      "expansion": "Old Northern French escarpe"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "fro",
        "2": "escharpe",
        "3": "",
        "4": "pilgrim's purse suspended from the neck"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French escharpe (“pilgrim's purse suspended from the neck”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "dbt",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "scrip"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of scrip"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "escarpe",
      "escarpe#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "escharpe",
      "escharpe#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "scrip",
      "scrip#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Irish",
      "lang_code": "ga",
      "word": "scairf",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Irish",
      "lang_code": "ga",
      "word": "scaif",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Irish",
      "lang_code": "ga",
      "word": "scarf",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "lang_code": "cy",
      "word": "sgarff",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A long, often knitted, garment worn around the neck.",
        "A headscarf.",
        "A neckcloth or cravat."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dated"
      ],
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
noun

A type of joint in woodworking, formed by two shaped ends that fit into or onto each other. · A groove on one side of a sewing machine needle. · A dip or notch or cut made in the trunk of a tree to direct its fall when felling.

verb

To shape by grinding or oxyfuel torch cutting. · To form a scarf on the end or edge of, as for a joint in timber, forming a "V" groove for welding adjacent metal plates, metal rods, etc. · To unite, as two pieces of timber or metal, by a scarf joint.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Of uncertain origin. Possibly from Old Norse skarfr, derivative of skera (“to cut”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "non",
        "3": "skarfr"
      },
      "expansion": "Old Norse skarfr"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "skarfr",
      "skarfr#Old_Norse"
    ],
    [
      "skera",
      "skera#Old_Norse"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A type of joint in woodworking, formed by two shaped ends that fit into or onto each other.",
        "A groove on one side of a sewing machine needle.",
        "A dip or notch or cut made in the trunk of a tree to direct its fall when felling."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
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    },
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To shape by grinding or oxyfuel torch cutting.",
        "To form a scarf on the end or edge of, as for a joint in timber, forming a \"V\" groove for welding adjacent metal plates, metal rods, etc.",
        "To unite, as two pieces of timber or metal, by a scarf joint."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
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}

Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗
verb

To eat very quickly.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Generally thought to be a variant, attested since the 1950s, of scoff (“eat (quickly)”) (of which scorf is another attested variant), itself a variant of scaff. Sometimes alternatively suggested to be a dialectal survival of Old English scearfian, sceorfan (“gnaw, bite”) (compare scurf).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "scearfian"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English scearfian"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "scoff",
      "scoff#English"
    ],
    [
      "scorf",
      "scorf#English"
    ],
    [
      "scaff",
      "scaff#English"
    ],
    [
      "scearfian",
      "scearfian#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "sceorfan",
      "sceorfan#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "scurf",
      "scurf#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To eat very quickly."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
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      ],
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Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗
noun

A cormorant.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Old Norse skarfr.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    {
      "name": "der",
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        "1": "en",
        "2": "non",
        "3": "skarfr"
      },
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    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "skarfr",
      "skarfr#Old_Norse"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A cormorant."
      ],
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        "Scotland",
        "transitive"
      ],
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for scarf →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-c2NhcmY