"A" Word Origins

Archibald

Old French

From Old French Archaunbault, ultimately from Germanic roots meaning "genuine" and "bold".

Archie

Origin

A clipped form of "Archibald"; the anti-aircraft sense reportedly comes from a music-hall song refrain shouted by pilots under fire.

archimandrite

Origin

Borrowed from French archimandrite, from Latin archimandrīta, from late Ancient Greek ἀρχιμανδρίτης (arkhimandrítēs), from ἀρχι- (arkhi-, “highest”) + μάνδρα (mándra, “enclosure, cloister, monastery”) + -ῑ́της (-ī́tēs, “member of”).

Archimedes

Greek

From Greek Arkhimedes.

archipelago

Italian

From Italian arcipelago, originally referring to the Aegean Sea, from arci- ("chief") plus pelago ("sea").

architect

Greek

From Greek arkhitekton, "master builder", from arkhi-, "chief", plus tekton, "builder".

architectonic

Origin

From Latin architectonicus, from Ancient Greek ἀρχιτεκτονικός (arkhitektonikós), from ἀρχιτέκτων (arkhitéktōn, “architect”).

architectural

Greek

From architecture plus the adjective-forming suffix -al, ultimately from Greek arkhitekton, "chief builder."

architecture

Latin

Borrowed via French from Latin architectura, from Greek arkhitekton — "arkhi-" (chief) plus "tekton" (builder).

archive

Latin

From French archives, from Latin archivum, from Greek arkheion, "town hall" — the place where official records were kept.

archivist

Origin

From archive plus the "-ist" suffix, meaning someone who practises or works with something.

archmagician

Origin

From arch- + magician.

archpriest

Origin

From Middle English archepreest, archeprest, archiprest, ercheprest, erchepreste; compare Old French archeprestre and Medieval Latin archipresbyter; equivalent to arch- + priest. Piecewise doublet of archpresbyter.

archway

Origin

From arch + way.

archy

Origin

From arch + -y.

arcminute

Origin

From arc + minute.

Arctic

Greek

From Greek arktikos, "of the (Great) Bear," referring to the constellation Ursa Major, which sits over the northern sky.

ard

Latin

From Old Norse arðr, "plough," tracing back to a Proto-Indo-European root also behind the Latin word for plough, aratrum.

Arden

Origin

Derived from the Brythonic ardu meaning "high"

ardennes

Origin

From Latin Arduenna silva (“the forest”). The initial portion is likely ultimately from a Celtic term meaning “dark; obscure”.

ardent

Latin

From Old French ardant, from Latin ardens, "burning" — the present participle of ardere, "to burn."

ardor

Latin

From Latin ardor, "a burning, heat, passion," from ardere, "to burn."

arduous

Latin

From Latin arduus, "steep, high, difficult," related to an old word for "high."

are

Latin

From French are, itself from Latin area, "open space."

area

Latin

A learned borrowing directly from Latin area, meaning "open space" or "level ground."

areal

Origin

Borrowed from Latin āreālis; by surface analysis, area + -al. Cognate with English areolar. False cognates include English arena, adrenal, anear.

areca

Origin

Via Portuguese from Malayalam അടയ്ക്ക (aṭaykka), itself from Proto-Dravidian *aṭ-ay-kkāy (“areca nut”).

areligious

Origin

From a- + religious.

arena

Latin

From Latin arena, "sand" — the sand-covered floor of Roman amphitheatres where gladiators fought.

arenaceous

Origin

Borrowed from Latin arēnāceus, from arēna (“sand”).

arent

Latin

From Latin arentem, "drying, parched," the present participle of areo, "to be dry or withered."

Ares

Latin

From Latin Arēs, from Ancient Greek Ἄρης (Árēs).

arete

Origin

From Ancient Greek ἀρετή (aretḗ).

arf

Origin

An onomatopoeic word imitating a dog's bark.

argent

Latin

From Old French argent, "silver," from Latin argentum.

Argentina

Latin

From the Latin "argentum", meaning "silver", after early Spanish explorers' hopes of finding silver there.

argentine

Latin

From Latin argentum, "silver" — the same root that gives Argentina its name, after Spanish explorers heard tales of silver along the Río de la Plata.

Argentinean

Origin

From Argentina plus the suffix -ean.

Argentinian

Origin

From Argentina plus the suffix -ian.

argh

Origin · 1700

An imitative cry of frustration, in use since at least the 18th century.

Argo

Latin

From Latin Argō, from Ancient Greek Ἀργώ (Argṓ), the mythical ship of the Argonauts.

argon

Greek

From Greek argos, "idle, lazy," chosen because the gas barely reacts with anything else.

argot

Origin

Borrowed from French argot, of unknown origin.

arguably

Latin

From arguable plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly; arguable itself comes from argue, from Latin arguere.

argue

Latin

From Old French arguer, from Latin arguere, "to make clear, prove, accuse."

argument

Latin

From Latin argumentum, from arguere, "to make clear, prove."

argumentative

Latin

From Latin argumentum plus -ive, via Old French argumentatif.

Argus

Greek

From Argus, the many-eyed watchman of Greek myth, whose eyes were said to live on in the peacock's tail.