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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Borrowed from Latin prehensio, prehensionis. Doublet of prison.

Borrowed from Latin pīca (“jay; magpie”). Doublet of pie (“magpie”). * (pathology): From the idea that magpies will eat almost anything.

A contraction of Parkinson.

From Middle English pretencioun, pretensioun, from Medieval Latin prētēnsiō.

Variant of Pilkington.

From partridge + berry.

From Latin polypus (“a polyp, a polypus in the nose”), from Ancient Greek πολύπους (polúpous, from πολύς (polús, “many”) + πούς (poús, “foot”)). Doublet of polypus.

Borrowed from Latin praedātiō, praedātiōnis, from praedor (“pillage, plunder”), from praeda (“plunder, spoils”).

From prattle + -er.

From pie (“magpie”) + bald (“having white patches or blazes”). Compare typologically Polish srokaty < sroka.

From Ancient Greek φώνημα (phṓnēma, “sound”), from φωνέω (phōnéō, “to sound”), from φωνή (phōnḗ, “sound”). By surface analysis, phone (“speech sound”) + -eme (“unit”).

From Middle French presupposer, from Latin praesuppōnō.

Borrowed from Latin plumbāgō (“type of lead ore”), from plumbum (“lead”).

From Latin pōtō (“to drink (liquor)”) + -mania.

From power + -some.

From point + -ful.

Ultimately from Latin pecūnia (“money”).

From perpetual + -ism.

Borrowed from Latin pariēs (“wall of a house or room”). Compare French paroi (“wall”), Italian parete (“wall”), Portuguese parede (“wall”) Spanish pared (“wall”) and Romanian perete (“wall”).

From Middle English patronesse, from Late Latin patronissa, from Classical Latin patrōnus; equivalent to patron + -ess.

From Ancient Greek πολύ (polú, “many”) + γυνή (gunḗ, “woman, wife”). By surface analysis, poly- + -gyny.

The genus Primula was named by botanist Carl von Linnaeus (1707-1778) after Latin primus (“first”) because it flowers early.

From the Poetics of Aristotle.

From pepper + -y.