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 Old English wudurofe, "wood" plus an element of uncertain meaning.

Formed from lecture plus the agent suffix -er, "one who does the action."

Borrowed into American English from a southern Italian dialect word related to standard Italian rucola; British English instead uses "rocket," from the same ultimate root.

A compound of "smart" and the slang suffix "-ass," used to intensify or mock the quality it attaches to.

From Latin emissio, "a sending forth," from emittere, "to send out" — the same root as emit.

A shortened form of "exposition".

From Latin incessans, "not ceasing," from in- ("not") + cessāns ("ceasing").

Shortened from Latin credere, "to believe" or "to trust", the same root behind the word "credit".

From 19th-century British thieves' slang (cant), of uncertain origin — possibly a twist on "trash" or related to "toss."

From Latin dissidens, "sitting apart, disagreeing," from dis- + sedere ("to sit").

From Middle English biforhand, literally "before hand" — the idea of having something ready in your hand ahead of time.

From Latin persequi, "to pursue relentlessly," from per- ("through") + sequi ("to follow").

From Old French persecucion, ultimately from Latin persequi ("to pursue").

French form of the Germanic name that also gives us William and Wilhelm.

From Pandare, a character in Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde who arranges the love affair between the two title characters — his name became a generic word for someone who enables others' desires.

From Old English elements meaning "ash tree" and "clearing" — literally a clearing among ash trees.

A compound of time + table.

From Latin respiratio, "a breathing," from respirare, "to breathe again."

By surface analysis, shine + -ing.

From Latin turbulentus, based on turba, meaning "disorder" or "crowd."

From Old English þurh ūt, literally "through out" — a straightforward combination of "through" and "out."

The car-bumper sense is named after Dagmar, the stage name of a curvaceous 1950s American television actress, in cheeky reference to the ornaments' shape.

From smoke plus -ing.

From smoke plus the past-participle ending -ed.