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 Rioplatense Spanish tango, likely originating in a West African language.

Named after Nebuchadnezzar II, the Babylonian king from the Bible, following the tradition of naming huge bottle sizes after biblical and historical kings.

A variant of chock, originally meaning a block or wedge, which developed into both the drill-holding device and the meat cut.

Origin uncertain; first appeared in print in the 1938 Australian novel Capricornia as a general insult.

From Old French gentil ("noble, high-born"), from Latin gentilis — the meaning shifted from "of good birth" to "kind and mild-mannered", the trait nobility was supposed to show.

From Old French faute, ultimately from Vulgar Latin fallita, "a shortcoming", related to Latin fallere, "to deceive".

From Latin nōtitia ("being known, knowledge"), via Middle French notice.

From Old Northern French wiket, ultimately from an Old Norse word meaning "to turn" or "yield", related to modern French guichet.

From Latin constructio, from construere ("to build"). Equivalent to construct + -ion.

From Old French soupleer, from Latin suppleo ("to fill up, complete").

From Old French publicacion, from Latin publicatio, ultimately from public + -ation.

From Medieval Latin districtus, originally referring to the area under a lord's jurisdiction where he could seize property to enforce payment — from Latin distringere, "to draw apart" or "compel."

From Latin dēnsus, "thick, dense," from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "thick."

From Old French composicion, from Latin compositio, the noun form of componere.

From Old French "bordeure," of Germanic origin, related to the word "board" in the sense of an edge or rim.

From Greek narkotikos, from narkoun, "to numb", related to narke, "numbness".

From Medieval Latin importantia, related to import ("to be important").

From French littéraire, ultimately from Latin littera ("letter").

From Old French "misture," from Latin "mixtura," meaning "a mixing" — from the verb "miscere," "to mix."

Russian · 1700

Named after the Prussian scientist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, who devised the scale in the early 18th century.

From Old French furnir/fornir, from a Frankish root meaning "to complete" or "to further/promote."

A learned borrowing from Old English ora — related to the modern word "ore."

From Latin Horatius, a Roman family name of obscure, possibly Etruscan, origin. Doublet of Horatio.

The slang sense comes from the popularity of "Sheila" as a common Irish immigrant name in 19th-century Australia.