Definition of SCION

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.

Examples of scion in a Sentence

He's a scion of a powerful family.

Recent Examples on the Web

Founded in 1905, the company is controlled by scions of J.R. Sweasy, who bought a majority stake soon after being elected general manager in 1919. — Ruth Simon, WSJ, "Red Wing, Iconic U.S. Shoe Maker, Labors Mightily to Bring Production Home," 12 July 2019 Rahul Gandhi became party president in 2017 but could never shake the BJP’s portrait of him as the ineffectual scion of a corrupt dynasty. — Niha Masih, Washington Post, "As Rahul Gandhi resigns, India’s founding dynasty nears an end," 3 July 2019 The hacienda-style property, built in 1914 by a scion of the Morton Salt family, still features original design elements, including 19th-century white oak beams in its updated rooms and common areas. — New York Times, "36 Hours in Napa Valley," 21 June 2018 Fifteen of the nineteen hijackers were Saudis, and Osama bin Laden was a scion of one of the country’s wealthiest nonroyal families. — Daniel Benjamin, The New York Review of Books, "Reckless in Riyadh," 30 May 2019 Photo: olivia acland/Reuters Like Mr. Kabila, Mr. Tshisekedi is the scion of one of Congo’s most prominent political families. — Gabriele Steinhauser, WSJ, "Surprise Winner Declared in Congo Presidential Election," 9 Jan. 2019 The scion of his family’s eponymous rifle company, and heir to its fortune, William died in 1881, leaving his widow a $20 million inheritance, and heiress to 50 percent ownership in the firearms business. — David Nash, House Beautiful, "Inside the Winchester Mystery House, the Craziest Home in the Country," 15 May 2019 Immigrants, sons of immigrants and grandsons of immigrants bonded together with scions of families that have been French for generations, all for the rouge, blanc et bleu. — Ronald Blum, Fox News, "Vive le France! And a lot of other nations, too," 15 July 2018 The 47-year-old media scion, best known for being Rupert Murdoch’s son, is finally inheriting the mantle of chief executive of the family business. — Sarah Ellison, The Seattle Times, "Younger Murdoch take the reins. How will he deal with Trump?," 25 Mar. 2019

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.