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 French, formed on reverse plus the suffix -ible, "able to be".

A clipped form of "Alexander."

Variant spelling of Adolf.

From Old French maistrie, built from master plus -y.

A shortened form of diggings.

Scottish Gaelic

From Scottish Gaelic caol, meaning "narrows" or "strait," referring to a narrow channel of water.

* As a German surname, variant of Hall. * As a French surname, from the noun halle (“covered room”). * As a Belgian and Dutch surname, from Halle, Belgium. * As a Jewish surname, from Halle in Saxony, named after the river Saale.

Borrowed from Latin Corsica.

From "freeze" plus the agent/instrument suffix "-er."

From Italian tutti, "all", ultimately from Latin totus.

From "entomology" (the study of insects, from Greek entomon, "insect") plus the suffix "-ist," meaning "one who practices."

Borrowed from French moulin ("mill"), from Late Latin molinum.

From Old French pleintif, "lamenting," from plainte, "complaint" — a doublet of "plaintiff."

A spelling variant of Brohm and Brahm.

From Middle English o ho; o, ho; equivalent to o + ho.

Formed from "tele-" plus "-cast", modelled on "broadcast".

Coined by writer Charles Fort in his 1931 book Lo!, blending tele- with transportation.

From Old English smocc, related to an old Germanic root meaning "to creep into" — describing a garment slipped over the head.

From Latin pinea, "pine cone" — the gland is named for its small cone-like shape.

A compound of cheer and leader — literally, someone who leads the cheering.

Formed from the phrasal verb check out.

From co- ("together with") plus pilot.

From back + ache.

Borrowed from French tarot, from Italian tarocco.