English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

Etymology — The origins of English words

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.

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From Middle English bitterswete, a straightforward joining of bitter and sweet.

An onomatopoeic coinage, similar to "bonk" and "yoink."

From Old French esposicion, from Latin expositiō, based on expōnere, "to put forth" or explain.

Borrowed from Hindi पूरी (pūrī), the name of the fried bread.

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

From an older word sophum, "a display of clever but flawed argument," from Greek sophisma — likely blended in people's minds with Greek sophos ("wise") and moros ("foolish"), giving the word its odd "wise fool" flavour.

From French mat, meaning "dull" or "lifeless" — the same word used in chess for a checkmated (dead) king.

A 17th-century spelling variant of an earlier form, ultimately from the same root as "hop".

From "Christ-cross," an old term for a cross-shaped mark, altered over time into "crisscross."

From soy + bean.

From Latin pulverizare, from pulvis, "dust."

From bath + robe.

From Middle English lousy, literally "infested with lice," which broadened over time into a general insult meaning "bad" or "worthless."

From Medieval Latin lobia, "a covered walkway or gallery" — the political sense grew from people gathering in the entrance hall of a legislature to buttonhole lawmakers.

From Old French finesse, related to fin ("fine, refined"), ultimately from Latin finis ("an end") — the sense evolved from "refinement" to "a skilful, subtle way of getting what you want."

Formed from anchor plus the suffix -age, indicating a place or fee associated with anchoring.

From Sanskrit veṇu, meaning bamboo or a flute made from it.

From down- plus pour.

From insurgent + -cy.

From first and hand.

From "national" plus the adverb-forming suffix "-ly."

From show + case.

From Latin potentia ('power'), the same root that gives us potent and potential.

From Old French glutonie, built from "glutton" plus a noun-forming ending.