Scrutiny

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈskɹuː.tɪ.ni/
• Hyphenation: scru + ti + ny

Alternative forms

• scrutny

Origin

From Middle English scrutiny, from Medieval Latin scrūtinium ("a search, an inquiry"), from Vulgar Latin scrūtārī ("to search or examine thoroughly"), of uncertain origin. Possibly from Late Latin scrūta ("rubbish, broken trash"); or of origin, related to Old English scrūtnung ("examination, investigation, inquiry, search"), from Old English scrūtnian, scrūdnian ("to examine carefully, scrutinize, consider, investigate"), from Proto-Germanic *skrudōną, *skruþōną ("to search, examine"), from Proto-Germanic *skrud-, *skruþ- ("to cut"), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreut- ("to cut"). Compare Old High German skrodōn, scrutōn, scrutilōn ("to research, explore"), Old High German scrod ("a search, scrutiny"), Gothic (andhruskan, "to investigate, explore"), Old English scrēadian ("to shred, cut up, cut off, peel, pare, prune"). More at shred.

Full definition of scrutiny

Noun

1. Intense study of someone or something.
• MiltonThenceforth I thought thee worth my nearer view
  And narrower scrutiny.
2. Thorough inspection of a situation or a case.
3. An examination of catechumens, in the last week of Lent, who were to receive baptism on Easter Day.
4. A ticket, or little paper billet, on which a vote is written.
5. An examination by a committee of the votes given at an election, for the purpose of correcting the poll.

Synonyms

• examination
• exploration
• going-over informal
• inquiry
• inspection
• investigation
• perusal
• probe
• scan
• survey
• study

Related terms

• inscrutable
• perscrutation
• scrutator
• scrutineer
• scrutinize

Verb

1. (obsolete, rare) To scrutinize.