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 Norwegian and Danish lemming, ultimately from Old Norse. Sense 2 comes from a persistent myth that lemmings mindlessly march off cliffs in large groups — they don't, but the story stuck.

From interest + -ing.

Named for the plant's habit of growing on or near old walls; the "shy person" sense developed by comparing someone standing quietly against a wall to the plant.

From French fonderie, ultimately from Latin fundere, "to pour" or "melt."

From French derange, past participle of deranger, "to disturb the order of."

From Middle English gilde, from Old Norse gildi ("payment, guild"), related to "yield."

From Greek diarrhoia ("through-flowing"), from dia- ("through") + rhein ("to flow").

From Greek phlox, meaning "flame," a nod to the plant's vivid flower colors.

From French pétun, an old word for "tobacco" (petunias are related to the tobacco plant), ultimately from a Tupi-Guarani word for the leaf.

From Latin paeōnia, from Greek Paiṓn, the physician of the gods in mythology.

From Middle French pensée ("thought"), because the flower's drooping head was fancied to look like someone deep in thought.

From Proto-Brythonic *aβon, "river" — related to Welsh afon, so "River Avon" literally means "River River".

From Latin narcissus, borrowed from Greek, likely connected to a word for numbness — echoing the plant's reputed sedative properties.

From Middle English clymbyng, clymbynge; equivalent to climb + -ing.

From Anglo-Norman perjurie, from Latin periurare ("to swear falsely").

Inherited from Middle English dredfully, dradefullich, dredefullich; equivalent to dreadful + -ly.

From Latin inebriatus, past participle of inebriare ("to intoxicate"), from in- plus ebrius ("drunk").

From the English county of Wiltshire, itself named after the town of Wilton.

Named after Sussex, the English county where the breed was developed.

Named after the English county of Surrey, where this style of carriage was originally built.

From Old English Suthfolc, meaning "south folk" — the southern people of the East Anglian kingdom.

From Old English Sumorsaete, meaning "settlers at the summer pastures."

Named after the English county of Shropshire, from Old English Scrobbesbyrigscir.

The origin is debated, but it may combine an Old English word for cattle with "land," or come from a personal name plus "land."