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 Hebrew talmúd, meaning "instruction" or "learning."

A compound of "cork" and "screw," describing the tool's spiral screw shape.

From Latin resonantia, "echo", from resono, "to resound".

A short form of "microphone," first used casually among musicians and broadcasters, later standardised as its own spelling separate from "mike."

Formed from zing plus the agent suffix -er, describing something (or someone) that has plenty of "zing."

An imitative word coined to mimic the brief, sharp sound of something moving fast.

From Latin inflexibilis, from in- ("not") plus flexibilis ("flexible").

Borrowed from Latin iudicialis, related to iudex ("judge").

Formed from joy plus ride.

From inside + the agent suffix -er.

From Latin inquisitio, from inquirere, "to inquire into"; its harsh connotation comes from the historical Spanish Inquisition.

From Old French enqueste, from Latin inquirere, "to inquire into" — ultimately in- plus quaerere, "to seek."

Built from Greek mikros ("small") and phone ("sound" or "voice") — literally "small sound" or "sound amplifier."

Named after American inventor Earl Tupper (1907-1983), who created the product in 1942; the brand name later became a generic term.

Formed from "weird" plus the informal suffix "-o," which turns an adjective into a label for a type of person (as in "cheapo" or "wino"). First recorded in American English in the early 1950s.

The name of the dynasty itself; as a verb meaning "to mix," it descends separately from Old English mengan, "to mix or combine."

Straightforward combination of "sea" and "shore."

Borrowed around 1861 from Dutch sla, a shortened form of salade ("salad").

From Latin succedere ("to succeed").

From Middle English certeynte (“surety”), from Anglo-Norman certeinte, from Old French certeinete, from Vulgar Latin *certānitās, from Latin certus.

A back-formation from intrusion, + -ive.

From restless plus the noun-forming suffix -ness.

A variant of the older word tetchy ("easily irritated"), reshaped over time under the influence of touch.

From zone plus the adjective ending -ed.