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 Middle English noon apparans, noon apparaunce, noun apperaunce; equivalent to non- + appearance.

Borrowed from Ancient Greek νοητικός (noētikós), ultimately from νοέω (noéō, “I see, understand”).

From non- + theist.

From nonideal + -ly.

From on- + look. Compare Old English onlēċ (“onlook, consideration, regard”).

From nut + hook.

From Classical Latin octangulus + -ar. Compare French octangulaire. By surface analysis, oct- + -angular.

From non- + significant.

From nine + pin.

From non- + bellicose.

From oval + -ine. Compare opaline.

From rebracketing of phrases an uncle, mine uncle, thine uncle, etc. Compare neam and naunt. For the verb, OED suggests an evolution in sense "to claim to be one's uncle" > "to cheat". It compares this derivation with cozen, which it derives from cousin. For the technical anthropological sense, compare nibling.

Blend of nicotine + amide, equivalent to nicotine + -amide.

From Middle English overweninge, equivalent to overween + -ing. Cognate with obsolete Dutch overwanig, overwaand (“presumptuous; cocky; conceited”).

From oops + -y (diminutive suffix). The verb is from the noun.

From oct- (“eight”) + -et.

From over- + layer.

From non- + compliant.

From Renaissance Latin nihilitās, from Latin nihil (“nothing”).

From non- + agency.

Latin nimietās, from nimius (“excessive”) and nimis (“excessively”).

From French noir (“black”) + -ette, after brunette. Compare French and Middle French noirette.

From Ancient Greek ὀμφαλός (omphalós, “navel”). Doublet of navel.