Scandaroon

English

Alternative forms

• Skanderoun
• (noun): scandaroon

Etymology

From variant forms of Ottoman Turkish إسكندرون (İskenderūn) under influence from English -oon. Compare Stambul and Stamboul for Istanbul. In reference to the pigeons, supposedly derived from the use of the pigeon to carry messages from the English factory at Iskanderun to Aleppo upon the arrival of new ships. In reference to swindlers, presumably under the influence of scandal and cognates and -oon. Doublet of Alexandria, Alexandretta, Iskenderun, and Kandahar.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /skændəˈruːn/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /skandəˈruːn/

Proper noun

Scandaroon

1. (historical) Former name of Iskenderun, a city in southern Turkey.

Derived terms

• Scandaroon pigeon

 

Noun

Scandaroon (plural Scandaroons)

1. (obsolete) A swindler.
2. A pigeon of a fancy breed descended from the rock pigeon (Columba livia).

References

• “Scandaroon, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.