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 pleasure + -able.

An unadapted borrowing from French camaraderie, related to "comrade."

Likely alludes to how someone with this condition has to run to the bathroom frequently.

A straightforward compound of war and ship, describing exactly what it is — a ship built for war.

From Middle French correspondre, from Latin com- ("with") plus respondere, "to answer" — the same root as "respond".

From French carrousel, borrowed from Italian carosello, originally referring to elaborate tournament-style games performed by riders on horseback before it came to mean the fairground ride.

From Latin recitatio, built the same way as "recite" plus -ation, meaning "the act of reciting."

From Old French reciter, from Latin recitare, "to read out" — built from re- ("again") and citare ("to summon, call out").

From Latin invādō, "to enter, invade."

A direct borrowing from French troupe, related to English "troop"; both ultimately share the idea of a gathered group.

From Old French menestrel ("entertainer, servant"), tracing back to Latin minister ("servant, attendant") — the same root as "minister."

From Old French crampe, ultimately from a Frankish/Germanic word meaning "cramp" or "clasp" — distantly related to "crop".

From Italian carnevale, possibly from a Latin phrase meaning roughly "putting away meat" — a reference to the feasting held right before the meat-free fasting period of Lent.

From Latin proicio, "to throw forward," via Medieval Latin proiectilis.

From Italian rocchetta, "little spindle," because early rockets resembled a bobbin of thread.

From Old French contribution, from Latin contributio, from contribuere ("to bring together"); by formation, contribute plus -ion.

From Latin missile, "something thrown," from mittere, "to send."

From Italian trombone, "large trumpet" — tromba ("trumpet") plus the augmentative suffix "-one."

From Latin sesamum, from Greek sesamon, ultimately traced back through Aramaic to an old Akkadian word meaning "oil plant."

From Latin altus, "high" — the same root as "altitude" and "alto".

From homo- ("same") + -phobic ("fearing/hating"), the adjective form of homophobia.

Formed by working backward from "homophobia" — homo- ("same") + -phobe ("one who fears/hates").

Formed from the verb phrase "cast away".

From "crack" plus the frequentative suffix -le, suggesting a repeated series of small cracking sounds.