Pronunciation: [skˈɔːt͡ʃt] (IPA) 
The word "scorched" is spelled with a "ch" sound, despite the fact that it ends with "ched." This is because the "e" is silent and the "d" serves as a marker for the past tense form. In IPA phonetic transcription, the word is spelled /skɔrtʃt/ (scorched), with the stressed syllable being the second one, indicated by the accent mark. Despite its peculiar spelling, "scorched" is a commonly used word meaning burnt or charred.
Scorched is an adjective that refers to something that has been burnt, charred, or singed due to intense heat or fire. It is often used to describe the condition or appearance of an object, such as a surface, material, or landscape, that has been affected by excessive heat.
In the context of fire, something scorched has had its outer layer damaged or destroyed by the heat, leaving it discolored, blackened, or withered. This term can also describe the aftermath of a fire, where the surrounding area or surroundings have been severely affected by the flames, resulting in a barren or desolate appearance.
Figuratively, scorched can describe the impact of intense or vehement actions or emotions on a person or situation. It implies a sense of being overwhelmed or devastated, as if one has undergone a scorching experience. For instance, someone might feel scorched by criticism or scorched by the heat of an argument, meaning that they have been deeply affected, hurt, or burnt emotionally.
The word "scorched" can convey a sense of destruction, ruin, or intense heat, whether in a literal or figurative sense. Its usage allows for describing the visible consequences of heat or the emotional aftermath of intense experiences, providing an evocative depiction of a charred or deeply affected state.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "scorched" comes from the Old English word "sceorcan", which means "to parch, to dry up". This Old English word is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "skurkanan", meaning "to scorch". The Proto-Germanic word itself is a variation of the Proto-Indo-European root "*sker-", meaning "to dry out" or "to shrivel". Over time, the word "scorched" developed to its current form and continued to refer to the process of burning or damaging something through heat.
