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

First recorded in English around 1303, from Old French horrible/orrible, from Latin horribilis, from horrere ("to tremble") + -ibilis.

A compound of "waist" and "coat".

From Middle English skippen, of North Germanic origin — likely related to Old Norse words meaning "to leap" or "push repeatedly", the same root family as the English word "shove".

From Old French obedient, from Latin oboediens, "obeying" — from the same root as obey.

Originally a trademark belonging to Tannoy Ltd, a British maker of public address equipment; the brand name itself blended "tantalum" and "alloy", referring to a component used in their early amplifiers.

From round + about, describing something that goes around rather than straight through.

From Middle French souronder, from Late Latin superundare ("to overflow"), from super- ("over") + unda ("wave").

From Medieval Latin regalia, "royal powers," from Latin regalis, "of a king."

From "fur" plus the adjective suffix "-y."

From Latin conversio, "a turning around, a change," from convertere.

From a- plus skew.

From Old French obedience, from Latin oboedientia, related to obedire, "to obey".

From grass + roots — the image of roots at the base of a plant, i.e. the ordinary base of society.

From mal- ("bad, incorrect") plus "function."

From Latin summa ("total, sum") plus the adjective ending -arius, via Medieval Latin summarius.

From Middle English filthy, formed from filth plus the adjective ending -y.

Borrowed from Spanish fiesta, from Latin festum ("feast") — a doublet of the English words "feast" and "fete."

From Latin faex ("dregs, sediment"), the same root that gives us feces.

From "fear" plus "-some," a suffix meaning "tending to cause."

From Latin mina, from Greek mnâ, related to the Hebrew maneh and the unit called a maund.

From "fault" plus "-y".

From Middle English wherin, formed from "where-" plus "in."

Formed from "fashion" plus the suffix "-able."

From Late Latin falsificare ("to make false"), from falsus ("false").