[1300–50; ME skirwhite lit., pure white (skir ‹ ON skīrr clear, pure; c. OE scīr); alter., by folk etym., of MF scherwitz, unexplained var. of OF carvi caraway]This word is first recorded in the period 1300–50. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: action, address, brace, conversion, stuff