A Scout Listens Before Looking
A scout gathers information ahead of a main force. The Latin behind the word means to listen, not to see.
A scout is someone sent ahead to gather information, in war, in sport or in the Scouting movement. The word is about hearing rather than seeing: Old French *escouter*, to listen, from Latin *auscultare* — the same verb behind *auscultation*, the medical practice of listening to the chest. A scout was originally an eavesdropper on the enemy. Robert Baden-Powell founded the Scout movement in 1907 after a camp on Brownsea Island.
- One sent to gather information. *A cavalry scout.*
- A talent spotter. *A football scout.*
- A member of the Scouts. *A Scout troop.*
- To explore ahead. *Scout the route.*
- Latin — *auscultare*, to listen. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | scout | A scout. |
| Plural | scouts | Scouts. |
| Verb | scout | Scout ahead. |
| Noun | scouting | Scouting. |
| Latin | auscultare | To listen. |
- Scouts went ahead of the column.Military.
- A scout watched him play.Sport.
- Auscultare means to listen.Etymology.
The auscultare family
- Scout — one who listens for information
- Auscultation — listening to the body with a stethoscope
- Écouter — the modern French verb, to listen
- Scout out — to explore in advance
- Auscultate — the medical verb
Old French *escouter*, to listen, from Latin *auscultare*, to listen attentively.
Why does scout come from a word for listening?
A scout was originally someone sent to overhear the enemy, and the Latin auscultare means to listen attentively.
Who founded the Scout movement?
Robert Baden-Powell, after an experimental camp on Brownsea Island in 1907.