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 dite, from Old French ditie, ultimately from Latin dictare, "to compose" or "to dictate."

A noun formed from the phrasal verb line up.

From French maquis, originally the name for Mediterranean scrubland — resistance fighters were said to "take to the maquis," hiding out in this rugged terrain, and the name stuck to the movement itself.

Originally a music term for the unaccented beat before the main beat of a bar, later extended to mean generally cheerful or positive.

First recorded in Middle English, likely originally describing a heavy splash through mud or a puddle — the same idea survives in dialect words for mire.

From the verb bag in the sense "to make first claim on something," extended into a playground exclamation.

From hard + wood. Despite the name, it refers to the type of tree rather than how physically hard the wood actually is — some hardwoods are softer than some softwoods.

Borrowed via French from a Siberian (Evenki) word for the animal, likely imitating its high-pitched call.

From "alkali," which came into English via Arabic al-qily, the ashes of a salt-tolerant desert plant once burned to make soap and glass.

From Latin delectare, "to delight" — the same root that gives us "delight" and "delicious."

From style plus the adjective-forming suffix -ish.

Likely a variant of Middle English champioun ("champion"); rose campion was once woven into garlands to crown victors in classical times.

From Old French impacience, from Latin impatientia.

Related to German Platt, a short form of Plattdeutsch ("Low German"), and to the general Germanic root meaning "flat" or "open ground."

A compound of trap and door.

Built from "well" plus the suffix "-ness," which turns an adjective into a noun describing a state or quality.

From Old French ostesce, formed from oste ("host") with a feminine ending.

From Swedish Johansson. Doublet of Johnson.

Formed from the surname Jefferson plus the adjective-forming suffix "-ian."

Formed from "child" plus the suffix -like.

From business plus -like.

Borrowed from French ignition, ultimately from Latin ignis, "fire."

From French chrome, from Greek khrôma (\"colour\") — named for the vivid colours of chromium's compounds.

From Latin constans, meaning "steadfast" or "constant."