"S" Word Origins

spy

Old French

From Old French espier, "to spy," from a Frankish root meaning "to look" or "to see" — related to modern German spähen.

spyder

Origin

From a resemblance between the thin spokes of old horse-drawn open carriages and a spider's legs, later applied to open-topped cars.

spyglass

Origin

From spy + glass.

spying

Origin

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

spyware

Origin

A blend of "spy" and "software."

SQL

English

An initialism of structured query language. It grew out of an earlier IBM language called SEQUEL, which is why the pronunciation "see-kwuhl" persists alongside the spelled-out form.

squab

Origin · 1600

Origin uncertain, first recorded in the 1600s, possibly related to a Scandinavian dialect word meaning "fatty" or "flabby."

squabble

Norwegian · 1600

First recorded around 1600, likely of Scandinavian origin and imitative in nature — related to Swedish and Norwegian dialect words meaning to chatter or prattle.

squad

French

From French escouade, from Italian squadra ("square"), the same root that gives us "square" and "squadron."

squadoosh

Origin

Uncertain.

squadron

Italian

From Italian squadrone, related to "squad" and "square."

squalid

Latin

From Latin squalidus, "rough" or "dirty," from squalere, "to be filthy."

squall

Old Norse

From Old Norse skvala, "to cry out", likely influenced by "squeal" and "bawl."

squalor

Latin

From Latin squalor, "filthiness," from the same root as "squalid."

squamate

Origin

From the taxonomic name Squamata, from Latin squāmātus.

squamoid

Origin

From Latin squama (“scale”) + -oid.

squamous

Origin

From Middle English squamous, from Latin squāmōsus, from squāma (“scale(of a fish or reptile)”).

squander

Origin · 1500

First recorded in the late 1500s meaning "to spend recklessly"; origin uncertain, possibly a blend of "scatter" and "wander."

square

Latin

From Old French esquarre, ultimately from Latin ex- plus quadrus ("four-sided"); a doublet of "squad."

squarely

Origin · 1557

From square + -ly, first recorded in the writings of Robert Recorde around 1557.

squarrose

Origin

From Latin squarrosus (“(perhaps) scurfy, scabby”).

squash

Old French

From Old French esquacher, meaning "to crush," influenced by another Old French word meaning "to shatter."

squat

Vulgar Latin

From Old French esquatir, meaning "to press down or flatten," itself from Vulgar Latin roots meaning "to force together."

squatter

Origin

From squat + the agent suffix -er — literally "one who squats."

squaw

Origin

From Massachusett squàw ("woman"), part of the Algonquian language family. A later claim that the word originally meant something vulgar has been thoroughly debunked by linguists.

squawk

Origin · 1800

First recorded in the early 1800s, almost certainly an imitation of the harsh cry itself.

squawker

Origin

From squawk + -er.

squeak

Origin

An allusion to the newspaper cartoon strip Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.

squeaky

Origin

From squeak + the adjective suffix -y.

squeal

Middle English

From Middle English squelen, likely from Old Norse skvala, "to squeal or bawl."

squealer

Origin

From squeal + the agent suffix -er.

squeamish

Middle English

Origin uncertain, likely blending a Middle English word for "squeamish" with an old dialect word describing dizziness or faintness.

squeeze

Old English · 1600

First recorded around 1600, likely from an old English word meaning "to crush," possibly influenced by an imitative sound.

squelch

Origin

Origin unknown, possibly a blend of squash, quell, and quench.

squelcher

Origin

From squelch + -er.

squib

Origin

Possibly imitative of a small explosion.

squid

Origin

Origin unknown; possibly an old sailors' alteration of the word "squirt."

squiffy

Origin

Unknown; possibly coined in the 19th century.

squiggly

Origin

From squiggle + the adjective suffix -y.

squinch

Origin

Alteration of earlier scunch (“back part of the side of an opening”), short for scuncheon.

squint

Origin

Derived from the older word asquint, meaning "obliquely" or "with a sidelong glance."

squire

Latin

From Old French escuier ("shield-bearer"), from Latin scutum, meaning "shield." A shortened form of esquire.

squirm

Origin · 1690

First recorded in the 1690s, originally describing eels; the deeper origin is uncertain.

squirrel

Ancient Greek

From Old French escurel, ultimately from Ancient Greek skiouros, meaning "shadow-tail" — a nod to the animal's bushy tail.

squirrelly

Origin · 1925

From squirrel + -ly, first recorded around 1925, likely inspired by squirrels' erratic darting movements.

squirt

Middle English

From Middle English squirten, of uncertain origin, probably imitative of the sound.

squish

Origin

Likely an alteration of squash, shaped by an old word meaning "to squeeze."

squishy

Origin

From squish + the adjective suffix -y.