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 Old English swētlīċe, formed from "sweet" plus the adverbial ending "-ly."

From Middle English coldliche, formed from cold plus the adverb ending -ly.

From Middle English perpetuelly; equivalent to perpetual + -ly.

From neat + -ly.

From "profound" plus the adverb suffix "-ly."

From respectful plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

From passionate plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

From "blue" + "grass," named for the bluish tint the grass takes on in late spring.

Possibly a blend of splash and surge, originating in American English and thought to be imitative in origin.

From base + man.

From Middle English sylky, equivalent to silk + -y.

Formed from "sleep" plus the agent suffix "-er," originally just meaning "one who sleeps."

From Latin civilitas, via French civilité; built from civil plus -ity.

Borrowed from Japanese rāmen, which itself came from the Chinese term for "pulled noodles."

From inevitable + -ly.

From Middle English kenely, kenliche, from Old English cēnlīċe (“keenly, boldly, courageously”), equivalent to keen + -ly. Cognate with Saterland Frisian köinlik (“boldly”), archaic German kühnlich (“bravely”).

From careless + -ly.

From Middle English peinfully, built from painful plus the adverb ending -ly.

From Old English deorlice, built on dear plus -ly.

From unusual plus -ly.

From unexpected plus -ly.

From un- + consciously.

From "universal" + the adverb-forming suffix "-ly."

From humble plus the adverb-forming ending -ly.