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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A shortening of Middle English "defence" — a fence is, at root, simply a thing that defends or encloses.

From "blue" + "print," named after an old photographic reproduction process invented by Sir John Herschel in 1842.

From Old English ġearn ("spun wool"), an ancient Germanic word for spun fibre; the "tall tale" sense grew out of sailors literally spinning yarn while telling stories on long voyages.

From Old English sċunian, "to shun, fear, avoid," of uncertain deeper origin.

From Middle English stonen ("to astonish, numb"), likely via Anglo-Norman estoner, from a Latin root meaning "to thunder" — the same family as astonish and astound.

From French médiocre, from Latin mediocris ("in a middle state, moderate"), from medius ("middle").

Formed from self plus -ish.

From "altruism" plus the adjective ending "-ic."

From French philanthropique, ultimately from Greek roots meaning "loving humankind."

The past tense of the verb base, from base + -ed. The internet slang sense (confidently unapologetic) developed in the 2010s from earlier hip-hop slang.

From Latin invincibilis, "unconquerable" (in-, "not," + vincibilis, "able to be conquered," from vincere, "to conquer").

Formed from "philanthropy" plus "-ist," from Greek roots meaning "one who loves humankind."

From Latin urgēre, "to press or push," the same root behind "urgent."

Formed from "good" and "night."

From Late Latin particularis, "partial, individual," from particula, "small part."

From Will (short form of William) + -son.

From Middle French formalité, from formal + -ity.

From Medieval Latin detrimentalis, from Latin detrimentum ("harm").

From Middle English sturdy ("bold, fierce, strong"), from Old French estourdi ("dazed"), ultimately from a Latin root — the "physically strong" sense developed later, in the 14th century.

Origin uncertain — possibly a blend of stow and cache, or of stick and cache.

From "agate" + the informal suffix "-ie."

From Old English granian, "to groan or lament," part of a group of Germanic words meaning "to whine or howl."

From Old Northern French tasque, ultimately from Latin taxō, meaning to assess or charge — making "task" a doublet of "tax."

From Latin inhabitare, from "in-" ("in") + habitare ("to dwell").