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 façade, from Italian facciata, related to faccia, "face" — ultimately from Latin facies.

From obsolete French prominent, from Latin prōminēns ("jutting out"), from prō- ("forward") plus mineō ("to project").

From "treat" + "-ment."

From the Old English verb fleotan ("to float, glide"); the sense shifted from physical gliding to something that slips past quickly in time.

From Latin flaccidus, "drooping, limp," related to flaccus, "flabby."

From dis- + robe, echoed in Old French desrober used in the same sense.

From Latin disruptionem, a breaking apart, built from the verb disrumpere ("to break asunder").

From French monogramme, from Latin monogrammus, ultimately from Greek monogrammos, "outlined in single lines."

From Middle English overwhelmen, formed from over- + an older word whelm meaning "to turn over" or "engulf."

From en- + gulf, literally "to swallow into a gulf".

From Old French encliner, from Latin inclinare, "to bend or tilt," from in- + clino, related to the English word "lean."

From "exo-" ("outside") plus "skeleton."

Borrowed from French pastel, from Italian pastello, ultimately from Latin pasta, "paste" — describing the crayon's paste-like texture.

From "patch" plus "work" — literally, work made of patches.

From French déférence, formed from defer + -ence.

Borrowed from Tamil paccuḷi, the name of the plant.

From Old French pastaierie, ultimately from Latin pasta ("paste, dough") — the same root as "paste" and "pasta."

From Latin geometricus, from Greek geometrikos, related to geometer.

From Old French inclination and Latin inclinatio, from inclinare, "to bend or lean" — the same root as "incline" and "lean."

From Anglo-Norman empechement, ultimately from Latin impedicare, "to entangle, fetter".

From Old French liberté, from Latin libertas, "freedom," from liber, "free."

From Latin praesumere, "to take beforehand, to anticipate," from prae- ("before") + sumere ("to take").

From Latin tumultuosus, "restless" or "turbulent," built on tumultus, the same root behind "tumult."

From Old French gravele, a diminutive of grave ("gravel, seashore"), ultimately from a Celtic word for pebbles.