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 Old French succomber, from Latin succumbere, from sub- ("under") plus cumbere ("to lie down").

From an ancient Celtic name for Britain, likely related to a root meaning "white," possibly a reference to the white cliffs of Dover.

From re- ("again") plus arrange.

Possibly an alteration of "blear," from Old English roots meaning "to make pale or dim."

Probably an abbreviation of "mummy," related to "mama" and "mom."

From Latin permittere ("to let go through"), from per- ("through") + mittere ("to send").

From Middle English rydyng, formed from ride plus -ing.

From Ancient Greek Νεῖλος (Neîlos).

Named after Wilton, a town in Wiltshire, England, long famous for its carpet weaving.

An invented word from around 1916, modeled loosely on "million," "billion," and "trillion" but with no exact value.

A playful 20th-century coinage modelled on real number words like million and billion, with the exaggerated-sounding "gaz-" front used purely for comic effect.

Named after the English village of Stilton, where the cheese was historically sold to travellers, though it was actually made elsewhere in the region.

Derived from the given name Gillian, a medieval variant of Julian/Juliana that became a generic term for a woman in old slang, much like "Jack" became generic for a man.

From German Maximilian, ultimately of Latin origin.

From Old French supposer, from sub- ("under") + poser ("to place"), echoing Latin supponere ("to put under, substitute").

From Middle English unhappy, equivalent to un- + happy.

From Russian спутник (sputnik), literally "fellow traveller" or "satellite", from a root meaning "way" or "path."

From Old English "wermōd," reshaped over time to look like "worm" plus "wood," though it has nothing to do with worms. It's a relative of "vermouth."

From Medieval Latin impraegnatus, past participle of impraegno, built from in- + praegnans ("pregnant").

Formed from run + way.

Formed from pregnant plus the noun-forming suffix -cy.

Formed from starve plus the noun ending -ation.

From mal- ("bad") plus "nutrition."

Likely a variant of "chuck" or a diminutive form built on "chump" (in its "block" sense).