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 Latin metamorphosis, from Ancient Greek metamorphosis, from meta- ("change") + morphe ("form").

From Latin obligatorius, from the same root as obligation.

Borrowed directly from the Rapa Nui word "mo'ai," meaning "statue" or "figurine."

From Old English wogian, "to woo or court," of uncertain deeper origin.

From French boudoir, literally "a place to sulk," from bouder, "to sulk" — originally a room a lady could retreat to in a mood.

Borrowed from Spanish castellano ("Castilian"), from Medieval Latin Castella, related to Latin castrum ("fort").

From Latin nātīvitās, "birth," from nātus, "born" — the same root as "native" and "natal."

Borrowed directly from Afrikaans apartheid, meaning "separateness," from apart ("separate") plus a suffix matching English "-hood."

From "bestial" plus the noun-forming suffix "-ity."

A shortened form of the prefix fore-, meaning "before" or "in front."

From Old English thaeraefter, formed from there plus after.

From Old English thaerin, formed from there plus in.

A compound of "cock" (penis, vulgar slang) and "sucker," originally describing the sexual act and extended to a general term of abuse.

Formed from dick + -wad, following the pattern of similar slangy insults.

From fore- + bode ("to foretell") + -ing.

From fundamental + -ist, after a series of early-1900s pamphlets called "The Fundamentals."

From "brother" plus the adjective-forming suffix "-ly", the same pattern as "friendly" or "fatherly".

From Old English mōdorlīċ, built from mother plus the suffix -ly ("in the manner of").

From "father" plus "-ly".

From Middle English *cowardly (adjective) and cowardly (adverb), equivalent to coward + -ly. Displaced native Old English earg.

From "heaven" plus the adjective suffix "-ly."

From Old English hāmlīċ, "of the home, domestic," built from home plus the adjective suffix -ly.

From Old English luflic, "loving, amiable," from love plus the suffix -ly.

From Old English roots combining "time" with the suffix "-ly", meaning "in a time-appropriate way".