scion
SY-on
/ˈsaɪ.ən/
A descendant of a notable family; a young shoot or twig of a plant, especially one cut for grafting.
Almost always implies wealth, power, or a noble bloodline. It carries a sense of being a 'branch' of a great tree.
The story behind the word. Originally a gardening term for a shoot or twig used for grafting. Just as a new branch is grafted onto an old tree to continue its life, a 'scion' of a family continues the family line.
Word relationships
- heir: Heir is a legal term for someone who inherits; scion is a more descriptive, literary term for the person's status as a descendant.
Commonly confused with
- offspring: Offspring is biological and neutral; scion is social and prestigious.
Collocations
- wealthy scion
- royal scion
- scion of the family
Example sentences
- "As the scion of a multi-billion dollar shipping empire, he was under immense pressure to succeed." High society
- "The gardener carefully grafted the scion onto the hardy rootstock." Botany
Memory hook
A scion is like a 'son' who is 'on' top of a great family fortune. The noble branch.
When not to use
Too pretentious for describing an average person's child.
Fun facts
- The Toyota-owned car brand 'Scion' was named to suggest that it was a 'descendant' of the main Toyota line, aimed at younger drivers.
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