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.

Browse etymology by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Recently added

From wicked + the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

From German "Fischer," meaning "fisherman."

Built from solemn plus -ly.

From Latin innumerabilis — in- ("not") plus numerabilis ("countable").

From Middle English coronede, crouned, crowned, crownyd, equivalent to crown + -ed. Piecewise doublet of coronaed.

By surface analysis, drop + -ing.

Borrowed from Dutch and German morgen, literally "morning" — originally the amount of land a team of oxen could plough in one morning.

Built from "jam" plus the agent suffix "-er," originally referring to someone or something that jams or blocks.

From "breeze" plus the adjective-forming suffix "-y", first describing windy weather and later extended to a light, easygoing personality.

From apple + jack, referring to the boost in alcohol strength gained by "jacking" (freeze-distilling) cider.

Borrowed from Japanese 広(ひろ)島(しま) (Hiroshima).

From Middle French grandeur, ultimately from Latin grandis, "great" — the same root behind "grand."

Named after the village of Chardonnay in the Mâconnais region of France, believed to be where the grape variety originated.

Borrowed from French artiste, a doublet of the English word "artist."

Named after the Epsom Derby horse race, itself named for Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby.

From grat(e) + -ing.

From "cape" plus the adjective-forming suffix "-ed."

From insomnia + the noun/adjective suffix -ac.

Formed from "sting" plus the agent suffix "-er".

From French sortie ("act of going out"), from sortir ("to exit"), ultimately from Latin sortiri ("to draw lots").

From repute plus the adjective ending -able.

A spelling variant of "mantle," now used specifically for the fireplace shelf.

A shortening of "permanent," since the curls were meant to last.

From French cascade, borrowed from Italian cascata ("a fall"), from cascare, "to fall" — ultimately from Latin cadere.