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 Latin impervius, "that cannot be passed through," from in- ("not") + pervius ("passable").

A shortened, informal form of "momma," itself derived from baby-talk repetition of the "ma" sound found across many languages.

From technical plus the adverb suffix "-ly."

Possibly a variant of kazoo.

Short for "Canterbury pace," referring to the supposedly gentle pace of medieval pilgrims riding to Canterbury.

From redundant plus the suffix -cy.

From a Greek word meaning "fever" or "stupor," related to a verb meaning "to smoke," describing the clouded mental state the disease can cause.

A compound of bubble and gum, named for the gum's ability to be blown into bubbles.

From Italian gusto ("taste"), from Latin gustus. A distant relation of the English word "cost".

From Middle English bugle, via Anglo-Norman from Latin buculus, "young ox" — bugles were originally made from ox horn.

From "lever" plus the suffix "-age"; the financial and figurative senses came later, extending the physical idea of a lever multiplying force.

From Latin ex- ("out of") plus sanguis ("blood"), so literally "draining of blood".

From Malaysia plus the adjective ending "-an."

From Late Latin mandibula ("jaw"), from mandere ("to chew").

Borrowed from French gaga.

From Greek théatron, "a place for viewing," from theáomai, "to watch."

From French engagement, from engage plus -ment.

From Latin instructus, past participle of instruere, "to build, arrange, or equip."

A straightforward combination of scrap and book.

From Middle French preparacion, from Latin praeparatio, built from prepare plus -ation.

A playful combination of "peek" and "boo," the exclamation used when revealing your face.

From an older word "wosy," describing something muddy or slimy — the feeling of being woozy is a bit like your head turning to mud. It was likely also nudged along by "boozy."

Italian · 1903

Origin unclear; first recorded in 1903, possibly linked to "daisy" (once used to mean something excellent) or the Italian actress Eleonora Duse. The car brand Duesenberg is a popular but false origin story — the word predates it.

From "kick" + "back" — literally something that kicks back at you, whether a payment returned in secret or a tool recoiling.