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

From petite + -ness.

From president + -hood.

Borrowed from German Panentheismus, coined by Karl Christian Friedrich Krause in 1828 from Ancient Greek πᾶν ἐν θεῷ (pân en theōî, “all in god”) + -ismus (“-ism”).

From poet + -ize.

From perceptive + -ity.

Either a variant of placard or borrowed from Middle French plaquette (“metal plate”), from plaquer (“to lay or clap on”). See placard.

From Middle English prest, from Old French prest, deverbal from prester.

From perpetual + -ist.

From Latin perspectus, past participle of perspicere (“to look through”) + -graph.

From Latin patrōnālis. Compare French patronal.

From pipe + -age.

From Middle English preterit, from Old French preterit (13th century), from Latin praeteritum (as in tempus praeteritum (“time past”)), the past participle of praetereō (“to go by, go past”), itself from praeter (“beyond, before, above, more than”) (comparative of prae (“before”)) + itum (the past participle of eō (“to go”)).

From Latin plācābilitās. Compare French placabilité.

From Middle English parchen, paarchen (“to parch; dry; roast”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps a variant of Middle English perchen (“to roast”).

Borrowed from French passementerie, from French passement (“decorative lace”).

Latin posticus.

From Latin postīcus (“posterior, hinder”).

From powder + -y.

From patron + -ship. Piecewise doublet of patroonship.

Variant of Perrett.

From German Preußen.

From Middle French pétulance, and its source, Latin petulantia.

From plasma + -ic.

From phospho- + motif.