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 pastura, related to pascere, "to feed" or "to graze."

From French intrigue, ultimately from Latin intrīcō ("to entangle, perplex") — the same root that gives us "intricate."

From Old French emprisonner, from em- + prison.

From Latin maturitas, built from maturus ("ripe"); by form, simply mature plus the noun-forming suffix -ity.

From Latin maturus, "ripe" or "timely" — the same root that gives us "premature," something happening before its proper time.

From Old French molester, from Latin molestus, "troublesome," itself from moles, "a burden."

From French harasser ("to exhaust, torment"), possibly from Old French harer, a command used to set a dog on someone or something.

From the Belgian comic Les Schtroumpfs, created by Peyo; the English name Smurf comes via Dutch smurf, adapted from the French schtroumpf.

Traces back through Middle English forms like whopen and houpen, partly from an Old French word meaning "to shout" and partly from an Old English word for crying or wailing.

The coat is named after the Irish province of Ulster, where the wool it was originally made from was produced.

Borrowed from German Hitler; see German Etymology for further details.

From Middle English "slogh," related to Germanic words for a sheath or shed skin.

The American city was named after the English town of Boston, Lincolnshire, home to several early colonists.

From French collagène, built from Greek kolla ("glue") and -genes ("producing") — it's the substance animal-based glue was traditionally made from.

From Old French respons, ultimately from Latin responsum, "an answer," from respondere, "to respond."

From "immediate" plus the adverb-forming suffix "-ly."

From Middle French assistance, from Medieval Latin assistentia, from "assist" plus the noun suffix "-ance".

From Latin extīnctus, "put out, destroyed" — the past participle of extinguere, "to extinguish".

From Latin imitari, meaning "to copy or portray."

A straightforward compound of song + bird.

From Latin mimicus, from Greek mīmikós ("belonging to mimes"), from mîmos ("imitator, actor") — the same root as mime.

"Mocking" plus "bird," named for the bird's striking ability to mimic the calls of other species.

From Medieval Latin emergentia, "an unforeseen occurrence," from Latin emergens, present participle of emergere, "to arise, come forth."

A shortening of "favourite" (or "favorite").