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 Middle English undercutten, from under- + cut.

From under- + carriage.

From un- + deny + -able — literally, "not able to be denied."

From un- + defeated.

Simply up + state, describing the part of a state that lies "up" from its main population center.

From upheave + the noun-forming suffix -al.

Built from un- (\"not\") plus touched, going back to Old English.

From Middle English unsure, equivalent to un- + sure. Piecewise doublet of insecure and unsecure.

Borrowed directly from French ambiance, from ambiant, "surrounding".

From constituent + the noun-forming suffix -ency.

From parliament + -ary.

From Medieval Latin marginālis, built from margin plus the adjective suffix -al.

From Latin profānus, "not sacred," from pro- ("in front of, outside") + fānum ("temple") — literally "outside the temple."

From Old French contrit, from Latin contritus ("ground to pieces"), the past participle of conterere ("to grind, bruise") — literally, someone "worn down" by guilt.

From Old French ravir ("to seize, snatch away"), from Vulgar Latin rapire, from Latin rapere ("to seize").

From Middle English peseful, built from peace + the suffix -ful ("full of").

From un- ("not") plus satisfactory.

From un- ("not") plus related.

From un- + planned.

From un- + opened.

A learned borrowing from Latin memorandum, meaning "(something) to be remembered."

From Greek symposion, "drinking party," from syn- ("together") + pinein ("to drink") — ancient Greek gatherings for wine and philosophical discussion.

A learned borrowing from Latin terminus, "boundary, limit"; Terminus was also the Roman god of boundary markers.

From Old English onlucan, "to unlock," from "un-" + "lock."