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, built on conserve plus -ation.

From Old French consequence, from Latin consequentia, ultimately from consequi, "to follow along with."

From Middle English congratulacion, from Middle French congratulation or its etymon Latin congrātulātiō, from congrātulor (“to congratulate”). By surface analysis, congratulate + -ion.

From late Middle English congestioun, from Old French [Term?], from Latin congestĭō (“heap, accumulation”), from congerō (“to bring together, accumulate, heap up”), formed by the root gerō (“to carry”) and the prefix con-.

From Latin cōnfigūrātiō, related to configure — from con- + figūra ("shape, form").

From Latin cōnferō, "to bring together" — from con- ("together") + ferō ("to carry"). A doublet of "collate."

From condense plus -ation, from Latin condensatio.

From Old French condempnacioun, from Latin condemnatio, related to condemnare ("to condemn").

Borrowed from French concert, from Italian concerto — related to the word concerto.

From New Latin concentrātiō, describing the act of bringing something to a single point — built from concentrate plus -ion.

Likely borrowed from French concentrer or a related Romance-language word, ultimately built from con- ("together") plus center, plus the verb-forming suffix -ate.

From Latin concēdō, "to give way, yield" — combining con- ("wholly") with cēdō ("to yield, go").

From Latin computatio, from computare, "to reckon or compute."

From Late Latin compulsorius, from Latin compulsus — see "compulsion."

From Old French comprendre ("to include"), ultimately from Latin comprehendere — see "comprehend."

From Italian complire and related Romance forms meaning "to fulfil, carry out," ultimately from Latin complere, "to complete or fill up."

From comply plus the adjective ending -ant.

From complex plus the noun ending -ity.

From complete plus the adverb ending -ly.

From Latin compilatio, "a plundering or gathering," related to compilare, "to plunder" — the same root as "compile."

From Latin competere, "to strive together, to be fit for," from com- ("with") plus petere ("to seek" or "aim for").

From Latin compensatio, built from compensare, "to balance one thing against another."

From Latin communicatio ("imparting, sharing"), from communicare ("to make common, to share").

From Old French commendacion, from Latin commendatio ("recommendation, praise").