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 French modestie, from Latin modestia, from the same root as "modest."

From Old English sceamleas, "without shame" — shame plus the suffix -less.

From Late Latin exorbitans, "going off the track," from ex- ("out of") plus orbita ("wheel-track, orbit") — the same root as "orbit."

From Medieval Latin extravagans, "wandering beyond" — from extra ("beyond") + vagor ("to wander, stray").

From an earlier form swip, related to Old English words meaning "to strike or lash" — the same root gives us sweep and swoop.

From Old English sweorfan, meaning "to rub, file, or turn aside" — related to old Germanic words for wiping and turning.

From Old French excessif, from Medieval Latin excessivus, built on excess.

From an older English word meaning "to bend or bow," tracing back through Middle English to a Germanic root related to swinging and swaying motion.

From swank + "-y."

From Old Norse sveinn, "young man, servant" — related to Swedish sven.

A frequentative form of "swag" ("to sway"), first recorded in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

From Middle French surplus, from sur- ("over") + plus ("more").

From Latin moderatus ("kept within measure"), from the same root as "mode" and "modest."

From Old French surmettre ("to accuse"), from sur- ("upon") + mettre ("to put") — the meaning softened over time from "accusation" to "guess".

A compound of sun and flower, likely named for the flower's shape and colour resembling the sun.

Borrowed from Middle French suite, "that which follows" — a doublet of suit, which took the English spelling while suite kept the French one.

From Old French sufisant, from Latin sufficiens, the present participle of sufficere ("to suffice").

From Middle French souffire, from Latin sufficere, "to supply, be adequate," from sub- ("under") plus facere ("to make, do").

From success plus -ful.

From Old French succeder, from Latin succedere ("to come after, take the place of, prosper"), from sub- ("under, next to") plus cedere ("to go, yield").

From Old French subvertir, from Latin subvertere ("to overturn"), literally "to turn from beneath."

From Latin subsīdō, "to settle, sink down."

From Old French sobre, from Latin sobrius, built from se- ("without") + ebrius ("drunk") — literally "without drunkenness."

From Latin subscrībere, "to write beneath" — the same idea as underwriting, signing your name below something.