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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Borrowed from Latin praeclusio, praeclusionis, from Latin praecludo.

From Tagalog Pinay.

Borrowed from French plaidoyer.

From patch + board.

From Ancient Greek πατήρ (patḗr, “father”) + ὄνυμα (ónuma, “name”) (a variant form of ὄνομα (ónoma, “name”)). Also patronym + -ic, from patro- + -onym.

From pass + phrase.

From peak + -er.

From Latin plicātus, perfect passive participle of plicō (“to fold”), see -ate.

From Latin prī̆nceps, prī̆ncipis + -cide.

Borrowed from Late Latin perspicuitās (“evidentness”, “self-evidency”, literally “transparency”, “clarity”, “lucidity”), from Latin perspicuus (“clear”, “transparent”; “evident”); compare perspicacity and the French perspicuité. By surface analysis, perspicuous + -ity.

permissibleness

From permissible + -ness.

Borrowed from French poseur.

From Piers + -son.

From Medieval Latin pomatum (“cider, ointment”) either directly or via slightly earlier English pomatum, from Latin pōmum (“fruit, apple”) + -ātum (“-ate: forming nouns”). Doublet of pomatum, pomade, and pomace.

From pranksome + -ness.

From pock + mark.

Borrowed from Polish pierogi, the plural of pieróg (“dumpling”), which ultimately is derived from Proto-Slavic *pirъ (“party”). Relationship to Turkish börek is unclear. Doublet of pirogi (from Russian), pirohy (from Czech and Slovak), and pyrohy/pedaheh (from Ukrainian).

From Latin pinna (“dorsal fin; wing, feather”). Doublet of pen, penna, and panne.

From pasture + land.

From para- + sail.

From pension + -ary.

From posi- + -grade (“direction”).

From Ancient Greek πόσος (pósos, “how much?”) + -ology (suffix indicating a branch of learning).

From non- + punishable.