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 mobilité, ultimately from Latin mobilitas ("ease of movement"), the same root that gives us "mobile."

Blend of Modi + modified

From Middle English lendare, leendare, variants of lenner, lenere, equivalent to lend + -er.

Shortened from "taximeter cab" — the same root as "taxi."

From Old French vis, "screw," ultimately from Latin vitis, "vine" — likely referencing the spiral shape of a screw thread.

From French équiper, "to fit out (a ship)," ultimately from Old Norse skipa ("to man a ship") — a distant relative of the word "ship."

From judgment plus the adjective suffix -al.

From Latin hepar ("liver") plus the chemical suffix -in, since it was first identified in liver tissue.

From Latin ballista, an ancient siege weapon for hurling stones, plus the adjective ending -ic.

From the Hebrew name Məṯûšelaḥ, a figure in the Hebrew Bible reputed to have lived 969 years.

A compound of "micro-" (small) and "chip," referring to the tiny silicon chips that carry electronic circuits.

From pitch + -er.

From Latin proletarius, originally "a citizen too poor to contribute anything but children" to the state.

From French prolétariat, from Latin proletarius, "citizen of the lowest class."

From rectum + -al.

From Greek arthritis, "joint disease," from arthron, "a joint," plus the medical suffix -itis, "inflammation."

Borrowed from German Anaheim (literally “home of Ana”). Likely a reference to the local Santa Ana River.

From Latin curator, "one who takes care of something," from curare, "to take care of."

From Latin inquirere, "to seek for" — in- plus quaerere, "to seek."

From un- ("not") plus divided, the past participle of divide.

From Latin pulmonarius, "of the lungs," from pulmo, "lung."

From Latin instigatus, the past participle of instigare, "to goad on, urge, incite."

Named after physicist Pierre Curie (1859–1906), who along with his wife Marie Curie pioneered research into radioactivity.

From Middle French continuité, from Latin continuitas, built from continue + -ity.