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 Latin interrogatio, from interrogare, "to ask or inquire."

From Medieval Latin intimidare, from in- ("into") plus timidus ("afraid" or "timid").

From intern plus the suffix -ment.

Formed from "inter-" ("between, among") + "act."

From Latin intensus, "stretched tight, strained," from intendere, "to stretch out."

From Old French entendre, from Latin intendere, "to stretch toward, direct one's attention" (in-, "toward" + tendere, "to stretch").

From Latin intervenire, "to come between," from inter- ("between") plus venire ("to come").

From Latin intellectualis, based on intellectus, "understanding."

From English dialectal (Northern England/Scotland), deverbal of take in, equivalent to in- + take. More at in-, take.

From Latin intactus, "untouched" — the negative of tactus, "touched" (the same root gives us "tactile" and "contact").

From in- ("not") + surmountable, meaning "able to be overcome."

insubordination

From in- ("not") + subordination, modeled on French insubordination.

From Latin innovatio, from innovare, "to renew."

From Old French cort/curt, from Late Latin cōrs, related to Latin cohors — the same root that gives us "cohort."

From Middle English "in stede," literally "in place (of)" — the same "stead" that survives in "homestead" and "stead of".

From Medieval Latin installatio, from installare ("to install").

From Old French inspirer, from Latin inspirare ("to breathe into"), from in- + spirare ("to breathe") — a loan-translation of a Biblical Greek phrase meaning "to breathe [life] into."

From Old French inspiration, from Late Latin inspirationem, from inspirare ("to breathe into") — the same root that gives us "inspire."

From Latin insinuatio, from insinuare ("to push in, creep in").

From Middle English insight, built from in- + sight — literally a "seeing into" something.

From Latin insatiabilis — in- ("not") plus satiare, "to satisfy, fill up."

From Latin insanus, "unsound in mind" — in- ("not") plus sanus ("sound, healthy").

From Old French enquerre, from Latin inquirere, "to seek into" — later respelled to match the Latin more closely.

From Latin inoculatio, from inoculare, "to graft," literally "to implant an eye (bud)" — from in- plus oculus, "eye."