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.

Browse etymology by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Recently added

From Middle English rugged, related to Old Norse words for a rough, shaggy texture.

From Old French route, from Latin rupta (via) — literally "a path made by force," from rumpere ("to break").

From Old French route ("group of people; a breaking apart"), from Latin rupta, the feminine form of ruptus ("broken"). A doublet of "route."

Borrowed from French roulette, meaning "little wheel," from roue ("wheel").

Borrowed from French rosette, literally a "little rose," from rose plus the diminutive suffix -ette.

From Middle English rokki, built on "rock" plus the adjective suffix "-y."

From Latin robustus, "made of oak" or "strong," from robur, meaning oak wood.

From Old English rīpe, "ripe or mature," related to the verb "reap."

From Old French riote, "a dispute or quarrel," ultimately linked to the verb rioter, "to quarrel."

From Middle French rigoreus, from Late Latin rigōrōsus (\"stiff, inflexible\").

From Old English rīfe (\"abundant, frequent\"), related to Dutch rijf (\"abundant\").

From Late Middle English reviven, via Old French revivre, from Latin revivere, "to live again" — re- plus vivo, "to live".

Formed from revive plus the suffix -al.

Borrowed from Middle French réviser, from Latin reviso, "to look at again" — from re- plus viso, "to view".

From Old French revertir, from Vulgar Latin revertire, based on Latin reverto, "to turn back".

From Middle French retirer, "to draw back," from re- + tirer ("to pull").

From Medieval Latin resultare, "to spring back or rebound," from re- + salire ("to jump").

From respect plus -ful, "full of respect."

From Old French resider, from Latin resideo, "to remain behind, dwell" — from re- ("back") plus sedeo ("sit").

From Old French reserver, from Latin reservare, "to keep back, retain".

From Old French resentir, "to feel strongly," from re- plus sentir ("to feel").

From Old French resemblance, from resembler ("to resemble").

From Old French requerre, from Latin requiro, "to seek, ask for, need."

From French reprimande, from reprimer ("to repress") — ultimately from the same Latin root as "repress."