Skip to content

escarnio

mockery

noun ehs-KAHR-nyoh Rare

Origin: From Old Spanish, possibly Germanic origin via Frankish skernjan (to mock).

Also means

scorn

Usage Note

Escarnio is a formal or literary word for public ridicule or contemptuous mockery; everyday speech uses burla or mofa instead. The phrase hacer escarnio de alguien means 'to make a mockery of someone'. It carries a stronger moral condemnation than simple teasing and often appears in legal or religious contexts.

Examples

"Los comentarios fueron un escarnio público."

Natural Translation

The comments were a public mockery.

Explore Spanish by topic