'scourer' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'scouren,' where 'scour' meant 'to clean or polish by scrubbing.'

'scouren' transformed into the modern English word 'scourer' through the addition of the suffix '-er' to denote a person or tool that performs the action.

Initially, it meant 'to clean or polish by scrubbing,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.