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 French flamboyant, "flaming," from flamboyer, "to flame" — the word originally described a wavy, flame-like architectural style before it came to describe showy people.

From virile plus the noun-forming suffix -ity, ultimately from Latin virilitas.

Named after Balaklava in Crimea, after British troops there during the Crimean War (1854) needed warm knitted headgear to cope with the bitter cold, and the garment took the town's name.

From Middle English inmesurable, formed from "im-" ("not") plus "measurable."

From Middle English spynnestere, originally simply "a woman who spins thread" — the connection to unmarried women grew from the historical association between spinning work and single women.

From Old French entreferir, from entre- ("between") plus ferir ("to strike").

From Latin vitiosus, "faulty, corrupt," from vitium, "fault, vice."

Built from on + going, from the older phrasal verb "go on" (to continue).

From Latin vicinitas, "neighborhood," from vicinus, "neighbor," ultimately from vicus, "village."

From Latin interrumpere, "to break apart," from inter- ("between") plus rumpere ("to break").

From Middle French vice-roy, literally "in place of the king."

From Middle English doutfull — built from doubt plus -ful, "full of."

Formed from vicar plus the suffix -age, denoting a role or its dwelling place.

From Latin vibratio, "a shaking or brandishing," from vibrare, "to vibrate."

From French vibrant, from Latin vibrans, the present participle of vibrare, "to vibrate."

A blend of Latin via, "road," and the English word "aqueduct."

From Middle English vexed, the past-tense form of vex.

From Latin veterinarius, tied to the care of cattle and other working animals.

From Latin veteranus, related to vetus, "old".

From Old French vespres, from Late Latin vesperae, related to vesper, "evening".

From "verge" (the ceremonial rod carried as a badge of office) plus the agent suffix "-er."

Formed from ventriloquy plus the suffix -ism, ultimately from Latin roots meaning "to speak from the belly".

Formed from ventriloquy plus the agent suffix -ist.

From Latin ventriculus ("the belly"), a diminutive of venter ("belly, stomach").