scruple
English
/ˈskɹuːpəl/, /ˈskɹupəl/
noun
Definitions
- (pharmacy) A weight of of a pound, that is, twenty grains or one third of a dram, about 1.3 grams (symbol: ℈).
- (obsolete) A very small quantity; a particle.
- (obsolete) A doubt or uncertainty concerning a matter of fact; intellectual perplexity.
- Hesitation to act from the difficulty of determining what is right or expedient; doubt, hesitation or unwillingness due to motives of conscience.
- A Hebrew unit of time equal to hour.
Etymology
Derived from Old French scrupule derived from Latin scrūpulus (the twenty-fourth part of an ounce, scruple, anxiety, trouble, doubt, literally a small sharp pointed stone, uneasiness of mind, sharp stone, figuratively anxiety, sharp pointedAdjective, uneasiness, a small sharpAdjective) derived from Ancient Greek σκύρος (chipping, chippings of stone) derived from Proto-Indo-European *ksunyo-.
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*ksunyo-
Gloss
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- scruple-shop English
- scrupleless English
- scruplelessness English
- scrupler English
- scruplest English
- scrupleth English
- shop English
- scrūpulus Latin
- scrupolo Italian
- scrupule French
- escrúpulo Spanish, Castilian
- σκύρος Ancient Greek
- *ksunyo- Proto-Indo-European
- escrúpulo Portuguese
- skrupuł Polish
- scrupule Old French