"E" Word Origins

embolden

Origin

From bold (adjective) + em- -en (variant of en- -en (circumfix forming transitive verbs denoting an increase in, or intensification of, the quality denoted by the enclosed word)). Compare Middle English embolden, enbolden (“to make bold, encourage”) (modern English embold, enbold, imbold (obsolete)), and inboldysshen (“to embolden, encourage”).

emboldened

English

From embolden, formed from the prefix em- "to make" and bold.

embolism

Greek · 1848

Coined in the medical sense in 1848 by physician Rudolf Virchow, from Greek embolismos, "something inserted" — the same root behind the calendar term for inserted days.

embolus

Origin

The term was coined in 1848 by Rudolf Virchow From Latin embolus (“piston”), from Ancient Greek ἔμβολος (émbolos, “peg, stopper”).

embonpoint

Origin

Borrowed from French embonpoint.

embouchure

Origin

From French embouchure, from emboucher (“to put in one’s mouth”), from en- (“in”) + bouche (“mouth”), from Latin bucca (“cheek”).

embrace

Latin

From Old French embracer, "to clasp in the arms," ultimately from Latin bracchium, "arm" — the same root as brace and bracelet.

embrasure

Origin

From French embrasure, from embras(er) + -ure, from Old French embrasure (“cut at a slant, make a groove or furrow”), from em- + braser (“cut at a slant”).

embrocate

Origin

From Medieval Latin embrocatus, past participle of Late Latin embrocare, from embrocha, from Ancient Greek ἐμβροχή (embrokhḗ, “lotion, fomentation”).

embroider

Middle English

From Middle English embrouderen, frequentative of embrouden (“to decorate, embroider”), equivalent to embroid + -er. Middle English embrouden itself comes from Anglo-Norman embrouder, from Old French embrosder (“to embroider”), ultimately of Germanic origin, though the exact pathway is uncertain. Possibly an intensive of Old French brosder, brouder (compare Norman broudaïr), from Gothic *𐌱𐍂𐌿𐌶𐌳𐍉𐌽 (*bruzdōn), related to English bristle and brad. Alternatively, perhaps from Frankish *anbroʀdōn (“to embroider, stitch”), related to Old High German anabrortōn (“to embroider”), Old English onbryrdan (“to prick, incite”).

embroidery

Middle French

From Middle French embrouderie, from embrouder + -erie. By surface analysis, embroider + -y.

embroil

Origin

PIE word *h₁én The verb is borrowed from French embrouiller (“to entangle”), from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in; into’)) + brouiller (“to confuse, mix up”) (ultimately from Vulgar Latin *brodiculāre, from *brodicāre, from Late Latin brodium (“broth, stew; mixture”), from Frankish *broþ (“broth”), from Proto-Germanic *bruþą (“stock, broth”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewh₁- (“to boil; to brew”)). The noun is derived from the verb. Cognates * Italian imbrogliare * Spanish embrollar

embrown

Origin

PIE word *h₁én From em- (variant of en- (prefix with the sense ‘to bring to a certain condition or state’)) + brown (“having a brown colour”, adjective). Cognates * French embrunir * Italian imbrunire

embryo

Greek

From Greek embryon, literally "that which grows within," from en- ("in") plus bryein ("to swell, grow").

embryonic

New Latin

From New Latin embryonicus.

emcee

Origin

A phonetic spelling of the initials "MC," short for "master of ceremonies."

emeff

Origin

Minced oath of motherfucker based on the names of the initial letters of its elements, equivalent to the phonetic respelling of the initialism MF. First attested in the 1960s.

emendation

Origin

From Middle English emendatioun, from Latin ēmendātiō; equivalent to emend + -ation. Piecewise doublet of amendation.

emerald

Latin

From Old French esmeraude, tracing back through Latin smaragdus to Greek smaragdos, itself likely borrowed from an ancient Semitic word for a flashing gem.

emerge

Latin

From Latin emergere, "to rise up or come out," from ex- ("out") plus mergere ("to dip or sink") — the same root as submerge.

emergence

Latin

Borrowed from French émergence; a doublet of emergency, both ultimately from Latin emergere.

emergency

Medieval Latin

From Medieval Latin emergentia, "an unforeseen occurrence," from Latin emergens, present participle of emergere, "to arise, come forth."

emergent

Latin

From Latin ēmergēns, present participle of ēmergō. The medical sense is a back-formation from emergency.

emerging

Origin

By surface analysis, emerge + -ing.

emeritus

Latin

From Latin emeritus "having completed one's service", originally used of a soldier who had served his full term.

emerize

Origin

From emery + -ize.

emersyn

Origin

Re-spelling of Emerson.

emery

French

From French émeri, ultimately from Italian smeriglio, a name for the abrasive mineral.

emesis

Origin

From Ancient Greek ἔμεσις (émesis), from ἐμέω (eméō, “vomit”). Compare ἔμετος (émetos, “vomit”, noun). By surface analysis, suffixed with -esis.

emigrant

Origin

From Classical Latin ēmigrāns, present participle of ēmigrāre (“to emigrate”).

emigrate

Latin

From Latin emigratus, past participle of emigrare, "to move away," from ex- ("out of") plus migrare ("to move, depart").

emigration

Late Latin

From Late Latin stem of emigratio, from e (“out”) + migrare (“to move, remove, depart”).

emigre

Origin

Borrowed from French émigré.

Emil

Latin

From German Emil, ultimately from the Roman family name Aemilius, possibly linked to Latin aemulus, "rival."

emilian

Origin

From Emilia + -an.

emiliana

Origin

From Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish Emiliana.

Emiliano

Spanish

Borrowed from Spanish Emiliano. This surname is mostly found in Mexico.

Emily

Latin

The English form of Latin Aemilia, from the Roman family name Aemilius.

Eminem

Origin

A stage name formed from the initials M and M, standing for Marshall Mathers.

eminence

Latin

From Latin eminentia, "prominence" or "distinction," from eminere, "to stand out."

eminent

Latin

From Latin eminens, present participle of eminere, "to stand out, project," from ex- ("out") plus a root related to mons ("mountain").

emir

French

From Arabic amir, "commander" or "prince," via Ottoman Turkish and French; a doublet of admiral and amir.

emissary

Latin

From Latin emissarius, "agent" or "spy," from emittere, "to send out."

emission

Latin

From Latin emissio, "a sending forth," from emittere, "to send out" — the same root as emit.

emit

Latin

From Latin emittere, "to send out" — a combination of ex- ("out") and mittere ("to send").

emitter

Origin

From emit + the agent suffix -er, meaning "one that emits."

Emma

Germanic

Brought to England by the Normans as a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element meaning "whole" or "universal."

Emmanuel

Hebrew

From Hebrew עִמָּנוּאֵל, 'immanu el', literally 'with us is God', from 'immanu' (with us) and 'el' (God), reaching English through Greek and Latin.