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 Ancient Greek harpuia, "snatcher," from harpazo, "to seize" — the same root behind "rapacious."

From Middle English hap ("chance, luck"), related to Old Norse happ ("good luck"). The modern words "happen" and "happy" both grow from this same root.

From Japanese haiku, itself from an older term meaning a "paired verse" or "linked line," ultimately tracing back through Chinese characters for "playful" and "line" or "verse."

From Greek gyros ("turn"), describing the meat turning on a spit — the same root behind "gyroscope."

From Latin gypsum, from Greek gypsos.

Likely derived from "gypsy," reflecting an old and unfair stereotype of the Roma people as swindlers.

A shortening of "gunnery sergeant".

From "gum" plus the agent suffix "-er."

From Louisiana French gombo, likely via Louisiana Creole, ultimately from a Kimbundu word for okra.

From Old English grūt, meaning dregs or coarse meal, distantly related to modern grit.

From Old French gote/gute, ultimately from Latin gutta ("a drop"), reflecting the old belief that the disease came from bad fluids "dropping" into the joints.

From Old French gouge, a word for a chisel with a curved blade, traced back to a Gaulish word for "beak" or "point".

Scottish Gaelic

From Scottish Gaelic and Irish gleann, "mountain valley."

The past form of the old verb "to gild" (cover with gold) — so something "gilt" is literally something that has been gilded.

From Geysir, the name of a famous hot spring in Iceland, from the Old Norse verb geysa, "to gush."

Believed to have entered English via Dutch gekko, ultimately imitating the clicking or chirping sound the lizard makes.

Named after the German mathematician and physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777-1855).

From Old Norse gapa, "to open the mouth wide" — the same root that gives us "gap."

Italian · 1600

From Italian gambetto, "a tripping up," from gamba ("leg") — the chess sense entered English in the 1600s.

From Italian gamba, "leg" — the same root that gives us "gammon" and is related to "ham".

From Old English geealla ("bile"). The figurative sense of "nerve" or "audacity" grew out of old medical beliefs that linked bile to bitterness and boldness of temperament.

From French gala, itself from Italian or Spanish gala meaning "festive occasion," ultimately traced back to an Old French word for rejoicing.

From an old use of "gate" meaning "way" or "manner" — the same root that gives us the word "gate" itself.

From Old French gage, ultimately from a Frankish word related to "pledge"; a doublet of "wage."