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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Borrowed directly from Latin vis, meaning "force" or "power."

A shortened form of the older word "envy," worn down over time in English usage.

A phonetic spelling of the letter name "V."

From Anglo-Norman vampe, referring to the part of a stocking covering the top of the foot; the "seductive woman" sense developed later, likely shortened from "vampire".

From Old French vail, from valoir ("to be worth"), from Latin valere ("to be worth").

Named after the French town of Tulle, where the fabric was originally made.

From French tuf, from Italian tufo, from Latin tofus — a doublet of the related geology term "tufa."

From Dutch tragelen, "to pull with a towline" — related to "drag" and "dray."

From Irish tóraí, "pursuer" or "outlaw," originally used as an insult for Irish bandits before becoming, from the 1680s, the name of the British political faction that evolved into the Conservative Party.

From Hebrew tōrā, meaning "instruction," "teaching," or "law."

The award is named after Antoinette "Tony" Perry, a co-founder of the American Theatre Wing. The adjective sense is a separate use of the name Tony, from "high-toned."

From Middle French tome, from Latin tomus ("section of a larger work"), from Ancient Greek tomos ("a cutting, a roll of papyrus"), from temno, "to cut."

A Middle English pet form of the name Tobias.

From tip plus the agent suffix -er.

From Old English tind, an ancient Germanic word for a point or spike, related to "tooth".

Borrowed from French tic.

Borrowed directly from Latin tibia, "shin bone."

Formed from ten + the informal suffix -er.

A blend of tele- (as in teleprinter) and exchange, originally a trademarked service name.

The "junk" sense traces back to a Hindi word for coarse canvas cloth (ṭāṭ); the lace-making sense is a separate word thought to come from Scandinavian roots.

From Middle English taster, simply taste plus the agent suffix -er — "one who tastes."

A shortening of "talking picture," formed on the model of "movie."

A shortening of "tadpole," first used around 1877 to mean a small child, later extended to mean a small amount.

From Ancient Greek sunodos, "assembly, meeting" — from syn- ("with") and hodos ("way, path").