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 Old English twiċċan, related to "tweak," originally meaning to pinch or pluck sharply.

Borrowed from Latin "transmissio," from "transmittere" ("to send across").

Borrowed from Latin Bacchus, from the Greek Bákkhos.

Ancient Greek · 1948

From Ancient Greek kubernetikos ("good at steering"), the same root that gives us "govern"; first used in English in 1948.

From Latin distribuere, "to divide out," combining dis- ("apart") with tribuere ("to give" or "grant") — the same root as tribute.

From Latin erroneus, "wandering, mistaken," from errāre, "to wander or err."

From Medieval Latin Franciscus ("French, Frankish"), from Francia ("France").

From Middle French incorrect, built from in- ("not") plus correct.

From Old French amender, ultimately from Latin emendare, "to remove a fault" — the same root as "emend."

From Old French florir, "to flower," ultimately from Latin florere ("to bloom"), the same root behind "flower" and "florid."

Borrowed from French vaudeville, originally referring to light satirical songs.

Traced back through Old French to Greek sykomoros, "fig-mulberry" — the name was later borrowed for unrelated shade trees in Europe and North America.

From cast + -er; the furniture-wheel sense comes from an old use of "cast" meaning "to turn".

From Latin intermittens, "sending between" — from inter- ("among") plus mittere ("to send").

From nutrition plus the adjective-forming suffix -al.

From Latin papilio, "butterfly" — early tents were named for their canvas sides, which spread out like wings.

From Middle English rehercel, related to rehearse plus the suffix -al.

Origin uncertain; likely connected to "natural," possibly starting out as informal slang before settling into its "smart, tidy" meaning.

From "mark" plus the suffix "-ed."

From truth + -ful. Piecewise doublet of trothful, from Middle English trouþeful.

From Latin verax, "truthful," ultimately from verus, "true."

From Middle Dutch zwabber ("mop"), originally referring to a sailor whose job was mopping the deck.

From Old French enchantement, from enchanter ("to enchant").

From Latin prōmiscuus ("mixed, undivided"), from prō- ("forth") plus misceō ("to mix").