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Definition of scion
1 : a detached living portion of a plant (such as a bud or shoot) joined to a stock in grafting and usually supplying solely aerial parts to a graft
2a : descendant, child; especially : a descendant of a wealthy, aristocratic, or influential familyb : heir 1 scion of a railroad empire
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scion was our Word of the Day on 10/11/2016. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of scion in a Sentence
He's a scion of a powerful family.
Recent Examples of scion from the Web
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Robert A. Durst, the real estate scion awaiting trial on charges of murdering a close friend in Los Angeles, may be able to count his confidants on one hand.
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Cohn, with his bravado, reckless opportunism, legal pyrotechnics, and serial fabrication, became a fitting mentor for the young real-estate scion.
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Guest appearances are at a minimum, with Frank Ocean, reggae scion Damian Marley, and Beyonce credited on one track each.
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Cohn, with his bravado, reckless opportunism, legal pyrotechnics, and serial fabrication, became a fitting mentor for the young real-estate scion.
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In 2014, Democrats were very excited by the two candidates at the top of the ticket: political scions Jason Carter (President Carter’s grandson, running for governor) and Michelle Nunn (Sam Nunn’s daughter, running for his old Senate seat).
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In 2003, the Manhattan real estate scion was found not guilty of murder.
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That's the question at the heart of the latest squabble in the murder case of New York real estate scion Robert Durst — a legal battle between experienced prosecutors and a heavyweight defense team.
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The acquisition, which capped a tumultuous two weeks as regulators in Madrid and Frankfurt labored to rescue Popular, opened a new chapter for the scion of Spain’s most influential banking dynasty.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'scion'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Get Familial With scion
Scion derives from the Middle English sioun and Old French cion and is related to the Old English cīth and the Old High German kīdi (meaning "sprout" or "shoot"). When it first sprouted in English in the 14th century, scion meant "a shoot or twig." That sense withered in horticultural contexts, but the word branched out, adding the grafting-related meaning we know today. A figurative sense also blossomed referring to one's descendants, with particular reference to those who are descendants of notable families.
Origin and Etymology of scion
Middle English sioun, from Old French cion, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English cīth sprout, shoot, Old High German kīdi
Other Botany Terms
SCION Defined for English Language Learners
scion
playDefinition of scion for English Language Learners
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: a person who was born into a rich, famous, or important family
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botany : a piece of a plant that is attached to part of another plant
Learn More about scion
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See words that rhyme with scion Britannica English: Translation of scion for Arabic speakers
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