English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

"D" Word Origins

Where do words come from? Trace the origin and history of any English word, from its Latin, Greek or Old English roots through to its modern meaning. Every etymology is sourced.

“D” Word Origins

From dick + ass.

Shitgibbon compound of dick + biscuit.

From dick + breath.

From dick + -ed.

From a medieval diminutive of Dick.

From a medieval diminutive of Dick.

Dates from the late 1500s as a playful use of "Dicken," a pet form of the name Dick — unrelated to the novelist Charles Dickens.

From Dicken + -son.

From Middle English diker (“measure of ten”), from Late Latin dacra (“a dicker”), from Latin decuria (“a ten of something”), from decem (“ten”).

From a diminutive of Dick + -son.

From a diminutive of Dick + -son.

Unknown; see the main entry.

From dick + head, recorded from the 1960s onward as an insult.

From a medieval diminutive of Dick.

From a medieval diminutive of Dick + the patronymic suffix -s.

From a medieval diminutive of Dick + the patronymic suffix -s.

From Dickin + -son.

From a diminutive form of Dick + -son.

From dick + -less.

From dick + licker.

From dick + nut.

From dick + slap.

Formed from dick + -wad, following the pattern of similar slangy insults.

Shitgibbon compound of dick + weasel.

From Dick + -y.

A shortening of dictionary.

From Latin dictatum, "something dictated," rooted in dico, "to say" — the same root gives us "diction" and "dictionary."

From Late Latin dictatio, built on the same root as "dictate."

From Latin dictātor (“a chief magistrate”), from dictō (“dictate, prescribe”), from dīcō (“say, speak”). By surface analysis, dictate + -or, literally “one who dictates”. Compare Old English tictator (“absolute ruler of the Roman Republic”).

Built from dictator + -ship, following the same pattern as "leadership" or "ownership."

From Latin dictio, "a saying or speaking," from dico, "to say."

From Medieval Latin dictionarium, built on Latin dictio ("a speaking, a word") plus -arium, meaning "a place for."

From Latin dictum (“proverb, maxim”), from dictus (“having been said”), perfect passive participle of dico (“to say”). Compare Spanish dicho (“saying”). Doublet of dict.

From Greek didaktikos 'skilled at teaching', from didaskein 'to teach'.

Traces back to dialectal English words for "to trick" and "to totter," possibly reinforced by the swindling character Jeremy Diddler in an early-1800s play.

A shortened form of "diddly-squat."

A variant of "titty," recorded since the late 1700s.

Borrowed from Hindi दीदी (dīdī), meaning "elder sister," used as a term of respect.

A blend of did + nae, the Scots word for "not."

Origin uncertain, though it’s often linked to the legendary trick of Dido, Queen of Carthage, who reportedly cut a hide into thin strips to claim more land than agreed.

From Middle English deyen, likely from Old Norse deyja, ultimately from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to die." It gradually replaced the older native English words for dying.

From the Spanish given name Diego, itself from Latin Didacus.

Deverbal from die hard.

From Latin dies (“Day”).

Named after Rudolf Diesel, the German engineer who developed the compression-ignition engine in the 1890s.

From Old French diete, from Latin diaeta, ultimately from Greek díaita, meaning "way of living" or "regimen."

From Medieval Latin diaetarium, "a book prescribing diet," based on Latin diaeta, "diet."

Formed from diet + -er, following the usual pattern for "someone who does X."