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 Latin obeliscus, from Greek obeliskos, "little spit/needle" — a diminutive of obelos.

From Latin ecclesiasticus, ultimately from Greek ekklēsía, "assembly" or "congregation" — the same root behind the word "church" in several languages.

From Medieval Latin verificatio, built from verus ("true") and facere ("to make").

From (Charles)town + -ie.

Late Latin · 1500

From Late Latin cavitās, from cavus ("hollow") plus the suffix -tās ("-ity"). First recorded in English in the mid-16th century.

From "deceit" + the suffix "-ful."

Ancient Greek · 1867

Coined in 1867 by Alfred Nobel, built from Ancient Greek dúnamis ("power") plus the suffix "-ite".

A compound of look and out, originally describing the act of "looking out" for danger.

A shortened blend of its full chemical name, alpha-methylphenethylamine.

From Latin pietas, meaning devotion or dutifulness — a doublet of "pity".

Borrowed from Manipuri ꯄꯦꯅꯥ (penā).

From Old French paneterie, related to Latin panis ("bread") — originally a room specifically for storing bread.

Formed from elder plus the adjective-forming suffix -ly.

From Amazon plus the adjective-forming suffix -ian.

From Latin apprehensivus, related to apprehendere, "to seize" — the sense shifted from "grasping mentally" to "anxious about what's coming."

From Latin nervōsus ("sinewy, vigorous"), from nervus ("sinew, nerve"). The modern meaning of "anxious" developed later in English, shifting from the older sense of "full of sinew, strong."

From Old French cipres, from Late Latin cypressus, ultimately from Greek kyparissos.

Borrowed from French caféine, itself built from café ("coffee") plus the chemical suffix "-ine."

From French artistique, from artiste + -ique.

Named after August Dvorak, the American professor who co-designed the layout in the 1930s. (Not related to composer Antonín Dvořák, whose surname comes from Czech dvůr, "courtyard" or "farm.")

From Middle English snorten, from earlier fnorten, from Old English *fnorettan, related to Middle English snoren, fnoren, from Old English fnora. See snore and sneeze for more on the change from fn- to sn-.

From innovate plus the adjective suffix -ive.

From relent plus -less, meaning "without."

From Latin dēficiēns, the present participle of dēficere ("to lack, fail"), the same root as "defect."