scratte

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Likely borrowed from Old Norse skratti (“sorcerer, goblin”) in light of the consonantism in /sk/ and modern dialectal distribution, though compare Old English sċrætte (“whore, harlot”) and sċritta (“intersex person”, possibly a mistake for *sċratta); in any case, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *skrattuz, *skrattô (“goblin”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈskrat(ə)/

Noun

scratte (plural scrattes)

  1. (derogatory) An intersex person; someone possessing both male and female sexual characteristics.
    Synonym: hermofrodite
    Coordinate terms: male, femele

Usage notes

  • Given the semantics of Scots scart (“worthless person, good-for-nothing”) and its origin in a term for "goblin, monster", this term was probably more derogatory than hermofrodite, though note Wycliffe's scathing use of that term to portray the Catholic episcopacy's intermingling of temporal and spiritual power as unnatural and unsavoury.

Descendants

  • English: scrat, scart (obsolete)
  • Middle Scots: scarth, skart

References

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