#old saxon

Wretch derives from the Old English nounwræcca, meaning “stranger, exile,” not unrelated to the verbwreccan, “to drive out, punish.” The Germanic root whence it came,*wrakjan, “someone pursued, exile,” is interestingly also related to the Old Saxonwrekkio and to the Old High Germanreccho, “person banished, adventurer.” From this branch, we get the modern GermanRecke, which has the much more powerful and positive connotation of “warrior.” 

Also related to (but not directly derived from) the Old English wreccan is the modern Englishwreak, as in, to wreak havoc. Oddly enough, the two wordswreakandwretch semantically make some sense together: their respective Proto-Germanic roots mean “to drive out or pursue” (*wrekanan)  and “one pursued” (*wrakjan). 

An aside: I had the idea to research this word after I recently reread Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, where it occurs 66 times. I suppose that’s not overmuch, but it definitely wormed its way into my brain. 

Noun

[sahy-uhn ]

1. a descendant.

2. Also ci·on . a shoot or twig, especially one cut for grafting or planting; a cutting.

Origin:
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English: “shoot, twig” <Old French cion, from Frankishkī- (unattested); (compare Old English cīnan, Old Saxon kīnan, Old High German chīnan “to sprout,” Old English cīth, Old Saxon kīth “sprout”) + Old French-on noun suffix

“Doctor Bataille, poor man, is the scion of an ordinary ancestry within the narrow limits of flesh and blood.”
- ARTHUR EDWARD WAITE, DEVIL-WORSHIP IN FRANCE