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 non- + belligerent.

From Latin obiūrgō.

nonconsolidated

From non- + consolidated.

From Portuguese oitava, from Old Galician-Portuguese oitavo, from Latin octāvus (“eighth”), q.v., in reference to it making up one-eighth of the alqueire (Portuguese bushel) or onça (Portuguese ounce). Doublet of octave, octavo, and ochava.

From non- + practicing.

From Ancient Greek νόημα (nóēma, “concept”, “idea”, “perception”, “thought”).

From Middle English overgon, from Old English ofergān (“to pass over, beyond, across, traverse, cross, transgress, overstep, overrun, overcome, overspread, conquer, come upon, overtake, seize, attack, pass off, pass away, end, overreach”), equivalent to over- + go. Cognate with Dutch overgaan, German übergehen, Swedish övergå.

From Ancient Greek ὀγδοάς (ogdoás, “eight, a group of eight”). By surface analysis, ogdo- + -ad.

From Onan + -ism. In the Book of Genesis, Onan, son of Judah, in fulfillment of the laws of levirate marriage was to impregnate his brother Er's widow, Tamar, in order to raise offspring from the union in his brother's name. In order to avoid raising descendants for his late brother, however, Onan "spilled his semen on the ground when he went in to his brother's wife, so that he would not give offspring to his brother" (Genesis 38:9).

From non- + tipper.

From non- + virile.

From nit + -y. The “foolish, inane” adjective sense is from nit (“fool, nitwit”), possibly under the influence of nutty (“crazy, mad”). The origin of the noun sense (“dope fiend, druggie”) is unknown, but could refer to a person who is under the influence of drugs to the extent that he or she is careless about personal hygiene and unkempt. Compare the verb nit (“to be a nitty”).

From non- + destructive.

Modification of nigga.

Perhaps nub + -in.

From nook + -y.

Borrowed from Swedish orientera.

From numb + fish.

From omni- + -vert.

From the genus name Oxalis.

From non- + athlete.

From non- + disposable.

From Ancient Greek νόστος (nóstos, “a return home”) + -phobia.

Borrowed from French odalisque, from Ottoman Turkish اوطهلق (odalık, “chambermaid”), from اوده (oda, “room”).