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 piss + ant, apparently referencing the sharp, urine-like smell given off by anthills.

From Latin illegitimus, formed from in- ("not") plus legitimus ("lawful"), likely via Middle French illegitime.

From Ancient Greek katastrophe, "an overturning," from kata- ("down") plus strephein ("to turn").

From suit plus the adjective ending -able, literally "able to be suited (to something)."

Possibly a shortening of "whimper"; popularised in the 20th century partly through comic and radio characters named Wimpy and Wimple.

From Latin praevius, "going before."

From home + work.

From bathe + -ing.

From Middle English spotles, formed from "spot" plus "-less."

From Latin pila (“ball”).

Formed from on + to, modeled on the pattern of "into."

From Latin capita, the plural of caput ("head") — the same root that gives English "capital" and "decapitate."

From Greek kosmetikos, "skilled in ordering or decorating," from kosmos, meaning "order" or "adornment."

Formed from the phrasal verb "make up." The cosmetics sense borrows the idea from French maquillage, "to make up" a face.

From Greek horizon ("bounding"), from horos ("boundary"), via Latin and French.

From Italian attitudine, "aptness, posture," ultimately from Latin words for "fitness" and "acting" — making it a doublet of "aptitude."

From French obesite, from Latin obesitas, "fatness."

Formed from paint plus -ing.

A straightforward compound of "sleep" and "walk."

A shortened, informal form of "beauty," used since the 19th century to praise something impressive.

From demography plus the adjective suffix -ic.

From Old French reveue, "a looking back", from Latin revideo, "to see again" (re- + video, "to see"). A doublet of "revue".

From base + the adjective suffix -ic.

From Latin vigilantia, from vigil ("awake, watchful").