scold
/ˈskoʊ̯ld/noun, verb
scold is spelled S-C-O-L-D: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 36,565th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, scold means “A person who habitually scolds, in particular a troublesome and angry woman” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of scold is scolds.
How many letters and syllables are in scold?
| Letters | 5: S-C-O-L-D |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 36,565th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is scold?
Scold appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 36,565th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce scold?
- UK /ˈskəʊ̯ld/
- UK /ˈskɵ̞ʊ̯ld/
- US /ˈskoʊ̯ld/
Scold has one syllable.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-scold.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with scold?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as scold from its last stressed vowel (/oʊld/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of scold
- scolds plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- scould
- scolde
- scolding participle, present
- scolded participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does scold mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A person who habitually scolds, in particular a troublesome and angry woman.
A ſclaunderous tunge, a tunge of a ſkolde, Worketh more miſchiefe than can be tolde; That, if I wiſt not to be controlde, Yet ſomwhat to ſay I dare well be bolde,
verb
- 1
To rebuke angrily.
I advise that you refrain from using that kind of language at home, lest your mother scold you.
- 2
Of birds, to make harsh vocalisations in aggression.
- 3
Of birds, to make vocalisations that resemble human scolding.
- 4
Misconstruction of scald.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Scold in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | chipie, furie, mégère , gronder, réprimander, tancer |
| German | Beißzange, Xanthippe , beschimpfen, schelten, tadeln, ausschimpfen |
| Portuguese | megera , repreender, brigar, ralhar |
| Spanish | regañar, retar, reñir, reconvenir, recriminar, desalabar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does scold come from?
The noun is from Middle English scold(e), skald(e), first attested in the 12th or 13th century (as scold, scolde, skolde, skald). The verb is from Middle English scolden, first attested in the late 1300s.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).