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 Greek poietikos, "creative, productive," from poieo, "to make."

From Middle English merite, ultimately from Latin merere, "to earn or deserve."

From Old English weorþlēas, literally "worth-less."

From un- + grateful.

From show + -y.

From Latin ingratus, "not pleasing," from "in-" ("not") + gratus ("pleasing" — the same root as "grateful").

Formed from "agree" plus the ending "-ing."

From Old English fyrh/furh, related to Old Norse fýri, part of a family of Germanic words for pine and fir trees.

From Old French sucre candi, "candied sugar," ultimately traced back through Arabic and Persian to a Sanskrit word for a piece of sugar.

From Latin prōnus ("bent forward, inclined"), from prō- ("forward").

From dis- + approval.

A back-formation from "lamentation," or borrowed from Middle French lamenter and Latin lamentor, "to wail or weep."

From Middle French déplorer, from Latin deplorare ("to lament over, bewail"), from de- (intensifier) plus plorare ("to cry out, wail").

From "booze" plus the suffix "-er."

From Old French survivre, from Late Latin supervivere, "to outlive" — from super ("over") plus vivere ("to live"), the same root that gives us "vivid" and "vital."

From Middle English outliven, built from out- + live — literally "to live beyond."

From Latin commutare ("to change altogether, exchange"), from com- + mutare ("to change").

From Old French formel, from Latin fōrmālis, from fōrma ("form").

From Old French proclamacion, from Late Latin proclāmātiō, from the verb prōclāmō, "to proclaim."

From Latin edictum, "a thing proclaimed," from edicere ("to declare publicly") — via Old French edit.

From Old French decré (French décret), from Latin dēcrētum.

Formed from "clergy" plus "man."

From Latin mānsiō ("a dwelling, a stopping place"), from manēre ("to stay") — the same root as "manor" and "remain."

From Old French partenir/pertenir, from Latin pertinere ("to extend to, belong to"), from per- ("through") + tenere ("to hold").