scarecrow
UK[ˈskeəkrəʊ]US[ˈskerkroʊ]
n
an object made to look like a person, set up in a field to frighten birds away from crops.
n
a person who is very thin and untidily dressed.
Morpheme Breakdown
scare
crow
scare
verb
crow
noun
Etymology
the word 'scarecrow' is a transparent compound from middle english, formed from the verb 'scare' and the noun 'crow'. it literally means 'that which scares crows'. the logic is direct and functional, describing an object whose sole purpose is to frighten away crop-damaging birds, particularly crows. over time, the meaning extended metaphorically to describe a person of ragged, thin appearance, resembling such a figure in a field. its formation follows the common english pattern of combining two existing words to create a new, descriptive term.
Analysis
Structure: scare (verb) + crow (noun)
scare (from middle english skerren, of old norse origin, meaning 'to frighten'); crow (from old english crāwe, referring to the bird).
Examples
the old scarecrow stood guard in the cornfield, its flannel shirt flapping in the wind.
farmers often use a scarecrow as a simple and traditional method of pest control.
after his long illness, he looked like a scarecrow in his oversized coat.