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 muscle plus the adjective suffix -ar, matching the French musculaire.

From Middle English caban, via Old French cabane, ultimately from Medieval Latin capanna, "a hut."

From Late Latin scapula, meaning "shoulder."

From Latin infarctiō, from infarct + -ion.

A simple compound of "day" and "dream" — dreaming while awake, during the day.

From Hebrew שָׁרוֹן (šārōn), the biblical name of the coastal plain.

Unclear, but most likely from Swahili kilima (“hill”) + njaro.

From respect plus -able, meaning literally "worthy of respect."

From meaning plus the negating suffix -less.

Formed from meaning plus the suffix -ful.

From mal- ("bad") plus "nourished."

From "lady" plus the suffix "-like".

incomprehensible

From Middle French incomprehensible, from Latin incomprehēnsibilis, built from in- ("not") plus comprehendere ("to grasp, seize mentally").

From back + fire.

Simply "quick" plus the informal noun-forming suffix "-ie."

Formed from lock + the suffix -er.

From Ancient Greek Ὑπερίων (Hyperíōn).

Named after the town of Nokia in Finland, where the company that became the phone maker was originally based.

From Old French corageus, built from corage ("courage") plus the adjective ending -eus.

From master plus mind.

From Middle English brymme/brimme, an old word for the bank or edge of water, of uncertain further origin.

Named after Guinea, the old term for West Africa, where the gold used to mint the coin originally came from.

From the Biblical Hebrew name נֹחַ (Nóakh).

Formed from "satire" plus the adjective ending "-ical."