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 employ + -er, first attested in the late 1500s.

From skydive + -er or sky + diver.

From "sweet" plus the "-en" verb-forming ending.

From Latin scientia, "knowledge," plus the suffix -ology, "study of."

From Old English sunnan leoht, "light of the sun" — literally sun + light, joined together in Middle English.

From Latin exorcista, from Greek exorkistes, "one who binds by oath."

From Greek exorkizein, "to bind by oath" or "banish a spirit," from ex- ("out") plus horkos ("oath").

From Greek exorkizein, "to banish a spirit by oath."

From Old French dignifier, from Late Latin dignificare, based on dignus, "worthy."

Inherited from Middle English scarsite, from Old Northern French escarsete; by surface analysis, scarce + -ity.

From Latin sedatus, "calmed, settled," from sedare, "to calm" — ultimately from the same root as "sit."

Ancient Greek · 1600

From Ancient Greek ourēthra, "passage for urine," in use in English since the 1600s.

Formed from the verb phrase "run away".

From methane + -ol (the suffix used for alcohols). The name traces back to French chemists in the 1800s who described it as "wood alcohol" using Greek roots for "wine" and "wood".

From Greek spastikos, "drawing in" or "pulling tight," the same root that gives us spasm.

A shortened form of methamphetamine.

From ethic + -al, ultimately from Ancient Greek êthos (\"character, moral nature\").

From Old French "loialté," built from "loial" (loyal) plus the noun-forming suffix "-té."

From Latin benevolentia, "good will," combining bene ("well") and volens ("wishing") — from the same root as "voluntary" and "volunteer."

A straightforward compound of "pig" and "pen".

From "modern" plus the noun suffix "-ity," modeled on Latin modernitas.

From Medieval Latin Serbia, from "Serb" plus the place-name suffix "-ia."

A shortened form of "psychologize."

From Old French compaignon, from Late Latin companio, literally "one who shares bread with," from com- ("with") + panis ("bread").