scandal

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin scandalum stumbling block, offense, from Greek skandalon trap, stumbling block, offense; akin to Latin scandere to climb Date: 13th century 1. a. discredit brought upon religion by unseemly conduct in a religious person b. conduct that causes or encourages a lapse of faith or of religious obedience in another 2. loss of or damage to reputation caused by actual or apparent violation of morality or propriety ; disgrace 3. a. a circumstance or action that offends propriety or established moral conceptions or disgraces those associated with it b. a person whose conduct offends propriety or morality <

a scandal to the profession

> 4. malicious or defamatory gossip 5. indignation, chagrin, or bewilderment brought about by a flagrant violation of morality, propriety, or religious opinion Synonyms: see offense II. transitive verb Date: 1592 1. obsolete disgrace 2. chiefly dialect defame, slander