ENGLISH
REFERENCE

scion

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈsaɪən// UK //sɪˈɒn// scion

n. a young member of a famous or wealthy family. It can also mean a small piece of a plant that is joined to another plant to help it grow.

n. a descendant of a notable or wealthy family; alternatively, a detached living portion of a plant joined to a stock in grafting. Often carries a literary or formal tone when referring to people.


SIMPLE

He is the scion of a wealthy banking family.

CONTEXTUAL

The young scion of the dynasty took over the company after his father retired.

COMPLEX

Gardeners carefully bound the apple scion to the rootstock, ensuring the vascular tissues aligned to allow for successful grafting and future fruit production.

Origin

From Middle English sion, sioun, syon, scion, cion, from Old French cion, ciun, cyon, sion, from Frankish kīþō, kīþ, from Proto-Germanic kīþô, kīþą, kīþaz (“sprout”), from Proto-Indo-European geye- (“to split open, sprout”), same source as Old English ċīþ (“a young shoot; sprout; germ; sprig”), Old Saxon kīth (“sprout; germ”), Old High German kīdi (“offshoot; sprout; germ”). See also French scion and Picard chion. Doublet of chit.

Usage

When referring to people, it is frequently paired with 'of' to indicate the family or lineage.

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