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 Old French predecesseor, from Late Latin praedecessor, from prae- (\"before\") plus decessor, \"one who retires,\" from decedere (\"to withdraw, to die\").

From Middle English pouten, probably borrowed from a Scandinavian word related to being "puffed out" or swollen.

From Old French poverté, from Latin paupertas, from pauper, "poor" — the same root as "pauper" and "poor".

From Late Latin potentialis, based on Latin potentia ('power'), itself from potens ('powerful').

From Middle French portraire, "to draw a likeness of."

From Old French porche, from Latin porticus ("portico") — the same root that gives us "portico" and "portal".

From Old French "plongier", ultimately from Latin "plumbum" (lead) — related to the idea of dropping a lead-weighted line.

From Old English pliht ("danger, risk"), blended with an Old French word meaning "condition" or "fold." Related to pledge.

From play + mate; an older equivalent was playfeer.

From Latin plausibilis, "deserving applause," from plaudere, "to applaud" — the sense shifted over time from "praiseworthy" to simply "believable."

Borrowed from French plaque, "plate, slab," from a Middle Dutch word for a patch or thin sheet of beaten metal.

Formed from plan plus the agent suffix -er, meaning "one who plans."

From Middle English pelt ("skin of a sheep"), of uncertain further origin, ultimately connected to Latin pellis ("skin, hide").

From Ancient Greek Pēgasos, likely linked to pēgē ("spring, fountain"), since the myth ties the horse's birth to a spring near the sea.

From Old English and Old French roots meaning "to strip the hair or skin off," ultimately from Latin pilus, "hair." A word-relative of "pill."

From Middle English words meaning "to peep" or "to spy," likely blending "peep" and an older word for "look narrowly."

From Middle English pecken, a variant of picken ("to pick" with a pointed tool) — related to "pick".

From Old French perle, of uncertain origin — possibly linked to Latin perna ("a leg-shaped shellfish") or perula ("little bag"). The surfing sense comes from the resemblance to a pearl diver disappearing underwater.

From an older form related to "pike" — the same root that gives us the weapon and the sharp fish — ultimately from Old English pīc meaning "a sharp point".

From Old French paver, tracing back to a Vulgar Latin word meaning "to beat down" or "ram" — describing how early road surfaces were compacted.

From Middle English pathwei, a combination of "path" and "way."

From Middle English passe tyme, literally "pass the time" — a direct English coinage modelled on French passetemps.

From Italian partigiano, "defender of a party," from parte, "part."

Formed from patriot plus the suffix -ism, denoting a belief or attitude.