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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A shortened form of "capriole," a leaping movement, ultimately from Latin caper ("goat") — goats being known for their bouncy jumps.

From Old French cap ("cape, headland"), from Latin caput ("head") — the geographic sense (a "head" of land) and the clothing sense both share this root.

From Northern English dialect, built on "can" in the old sense "to know how to," related to Old English cunnan.

From Latin cancellatio, built from cancellare, "to cancel".

From "calibrate" plus the noun-forming suffix "-ion."

From Latin calculatio, built on calculare, "to reckon" — the noun form of "calculate."

An imitative word — it simply mimics the humming sound bees and insects make.

From Latin brutus (\"dull, stupid, insensible\"), the same root behind \"brutal\" and \"brutish.\"

Origin uncertain, but likely related to brusque; possibly influenced by Celtic words for "quick" or "lively."

From Middle English brinke, related to Old Norse words for the edge of a slope or hill — the physical "edge of a drop" sense came first, and the figurative "on the verge of" sense followed later.

From Old English brydealo, literally "bride-ale" — the wedding feast at which ale was drunk — later reshaped to look like "bride" plus "-al".

From Old English brēċ, the plural of a word meaning leg-covering or trousers — the same root that gives us "breeches".

From Old French bresme, tracing back through Frankish to a Germanic word possibly meaning "shining" or "glittery," describing the fish's silvery scales.

From break + the agent suffix -er.

From Old English bryce and brǣc ("a breaking"), related to the verb "break."

From Old French "brace" ("arm"), from Latin "bracchia," the plural of "bracchium" ("arm").

Built from "botany" plus the adjective ending "-ical."

From Spanish bonanza, meaning fair weather or good luck at sea, which came from a Latin word for a calm sea. Its spelling was later shaped by confusion with the unrelated Latin bonus, "good."

Possibly imitative in origin, or from a Middle English word meaning to cry out or bellow.

Probably from Dutch bluffen ("to brag"), related to German verblüffen ("to stump or perplex").

From Old English blīþe meaning "happy, gentle," from a Proto-Germanic root connected to brightness and pleasantness.

From Old English "blāc," meaning pale, related to Old Norse "bleikr" — the same root that gave us "bleach."

From "blaze" plus "-er." The word is often traced to the bright scarlet jackets worn by a Cambridge rowing club in the 19th century, whose "blazing" colour gave the garment its name.

From Latin blandus, meaning "pleasant" or "flattering" — the meaning later shifted toward "mild" and then "dull."