Definition of the word shun

The English word "shun" has roots that can be traced back to the Old Norse language, which was spoken by the Vikings in Scandinavia and parts of England during the Middle Ages. In Old Norse, the word was "snia" or "snýja," which meant "to avoid," "to steer clear of," or "to keep away from." These Old Norse words are related to the Proto-Germanic "snōnijan," which meant "to avoid." The Old English language, which was spoken in England in the centuries before the Norman Conquest in 1066, also used a word related to "snia" or "snýja." In Old English, the word was "snōwan," which meant "to shun." The precise origins of "snia" or "snýja" are unclear, but it is likely that the word derived from the Proto-Germanic root "snōn," which meant "danger" or "threat." As such, the Old Norse word "snia" or "snýja" may have originally been used to describe avoiding dangerous or threatening situations. Over time, the meaning of "shun" has evolved in English. In addition to meaning "to avoid" or "to steer clear of," the word has also come to mean "to disgrace" or "to disgrace oneself," due to its use in expressions such as "shun an evil thing" or "shun a dishonest course." In summary, the word "shun" has its origins in the Old Norse word "snia" or "snýja," which meant "to avoid" or "to steer clear of" in Old Norse and Old English. The word ultimately derives from the Proto-Germanic root "snōn," which meant "danger" or "threat."