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 pro- (“front”) + soma (“body”), from Ancient Greek σῶμα (sôma, “body”).

From rat's + bane. Compare henbane.

Modern fanciful spelling of Reagan.

From Latin prolusio, from proludere (“to prelude”).

From Late Latin refūtābilis (“refutable”), equivalent to refute + -able.

A patronymic form of the occupational name Reeve.

From ranch + woman.

From Middle English remediable, from Old French remedïable and Latin remediābilis. By surface analysis, remediate + -able, or perhaps remedy + ‑able.

From Late Latin reminiscentia + -al.

From Medieval Latin prōcūrātorātus. By surface analysis, procurator + -ate (forms nouns denoting rank or office).

From Middle French promulgation, from Latin prōmulgātiō.

From quiz + -y. Sense 2 possibly influenced by English inquisitive.

From Latin renitens, present participle of reniteo. First known use: 1701. Compare French rénitence.

From pyre + -al.

From pseudoanemia + -ic or pseudo- + anemic.

From the past and past participle of the verb profane.

From repair + -person on the model of repairman.

From propinqu(ent) + -ity, from Middle English propinquite, from Middle French propinquité or Latin propinquitās, from propinquus (“neighbouring”) (from prop(e) (“near”) + (h)inc (“hence”) + -uus).

From Medieval Latin reflexīvus, from Latin reflexus, equivalent to reflex + -ive.

From redemption + -er.

Borrowed from Latin pūtrefacient.

From the Middle English proponen (“to put forward”), from Latin prōpōnere (“to put forward”), from prō- (“before”) + pōnere (“to put”). Doublet of propose. Compare expound.

From process + -ual.

From red + poll.