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 Anglo-Norman enfourmour — the same root as "inform" plus the "-er" agent ending.

From Latin implicatus, past participle of implico ("to entangle, involve"), from plico ("to fold"). A doublet of imply and employ.

From Latin implorare ("to beseech, entreat"), from im- + ploro ("to cry out, lament").

From Latin intrūdere, from in- ("in") + trūdere ("to thrust, push").

From intrude + -er.

From Latin insula, "island," plus the -ate suffix — the idea of turning something into its own isolated "island."

From French dragon, originally the name of the short musket these soldiers carried, itself from Latin draco, "dragon."

From on + the suffix -ward, indicating direction.

From Ancient Greek enthousiastes, related to "enthusiasm."

Originally from a 16th-century slang phrase meaning "to make a fool of", from an old noun "coax" meaning a simpleton — the meaning shifted over time to "gently persuade".

As a surname, from Welsh "llyn" ("lake") or Old English "lēan" ("reward"), referring to King's Lynn in Norfolk.

From Old English grennian, originally meaning to bare the teeth like a snarling animal — the word softened over time from a hostile grimace into today's friendly, toothy smile.

From Old English aemete, meaning "ant" — the same word that gives us "ant" itself. The tourist sense grew later in southwest England, comparing the swarms of summer visitors to a line of ants.

From "steer" plus the suffix "-age," originally meaning simply "the act of steering," later extended to the cramped lower decks where the ship's steering gear was once located.

From Latin Carolus ("Charles") plus the adjective ending -ine — the historical/coin sense, distinct from the common given name Caroline, which shares the same Latin root.

From French simplifier, built from simple plus the verb-forming ending -ify (as in "clarify" or "purify").

From hopeful + -ly. The sentence-adverb use ("hopefully, it will work out") took off first in the US and is thought to echo the German word hoffentlich.

Origin uncertain and debated for centuries; possibly linked to the name Nicodemus or to "ninny," with a second part that may come from an old sense of "poop" meaning to fool or deceive.

From Old English æmerge, related to a Germanic root meaning "to burn"; the "b" was added later in English simply to make the word easier to pronounce.

From Latin exonerare, "to unburden" or "unload," from ex- ("out, off") plus onus ("a burden").

From the Welsh name Merfyn, likely built from mer ("marrow") and myn ("eminent").

A learned borrowing from Latin multiplex, from "multi-" (many) plus "-plex" (fold).

A shortening of words built on Latin quattuor, "four," the same root behind "quadrant" and "quadruple."

Italian · 1700

From Italian maccheroni, of uncertain origin; the "fashionable dandy" sense in English comes from the 18th-century British Macaroni Club, whose members were known for flamboyant, Italian-influenced style.