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.

Browse etymology by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Recently added

Alteration of auburn.

From forbid + -ing.

Named after the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near where the virus was first identified in 1976; the river's name comes from a local phrase meaning "white water."

Formed from the phrasal verb "get away," turned into a noun.

Spanish · 1800

Entered English via Spanish dengue in the 1800s, tracing back to a Swahili term for a sudden cramp-like seizure.

Formed from "typhus" plus the ending "-oid," meaning "resembling," since the two diseases produce similar symptoms.

From Old English endelēas, formed from end plus the suffix -less ("without").

Borrowed from French mémoire ("memory, account"), ultimately from Latin memoria.

From an older Scots and English form stalworth, meaning physically strong and brave, later reshaped under the influence of Sir Walter Scott's writing.

From Latin insincerus, from in- ("not") + sincerus ("genuine, sincere").

From Old French trousse/torse, related to Latin tortus, "twisted" — the same root that gives us "torsion" and "contort."

Old French · 1526

Origin unknown; the word first appears in English around 1526, possibly connected to Old French tremouille, a mill hopper.

From Old French taverne ("wine shop"), from Latin taberna ("inn, shop") — a doublet of the word "taverna" used in some other languages.

Formed by back-formation from the adjective grungy.

Borrowed from Tibetan འོ་མ ('o ma).

From Anglo-Norman defendour, or from Middle English defenden + -ere, following the pattern of "defend" + "-er."

From Ancient Greek "Styx," meaning "hatred" or "detestation."

An alteration of Middle English pikeis, related to French pic ("pike, point"), later reshaped in English under the influence of "pick" and "axe."

From Old French culpable, from Latin culpabilis ("blameworthy"), from culpa ("fault").

Formed from the phrasal verb break away.

Formed from cycle plus the suffix -ing.

From the 19th-century English phrase "make a book," meaning to record and manage a set of bets.

From Italian mafioso, from Sicilian mafiusu.

From Old French induction, from Latin inductio, related to inducere ("to lead in").