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 the personal name John, which became a generic stand-in for "some man" and later a euphemism for a toilet.

From Old English sandiġ, simply "sand" plus the adjective ending "-y".

A learned 19th-century borrowing from Latin fellatio, from fello ("to suck"). It first showed up in medical writing, and a 1919 California Supreme Court ruling actually struck down an anti-fellatio law because the state constitution required statutes to be written in English — fellatio was still considered Latin at the time.

A back-formation from "trousers" — the singular form appeared later, used mainly as an adjective or in the slang verb sense.

From an earlier form "boh," coined to imitate a sudden, startling shout.

From Middle English newe founde, simply "new" plus "found."

From an old Scandinavian-derived word meaning sediment, related to the sludge left in a barrel of drink.

Borrowed directly from Spanish hombre, meaning "man."

From em- (a form of "in") + power.

From Old English sċūr ("shower"), from a Proto-Germanic root probably linked to words for cold north winds.

From a Middle English word for a small knife, probably related to Scandinavian words for a spear or spike; the potato sense may have started in Australian or New Zealand slang.

From "new castle," referring to a Norman castle built there in the 11th century.

From French compulsif, from Latin compulsus, past participle of compellere, "to compel."

A softened, minced version of "goddamn."

From Old French peril, from Latin periculum ("danger, risk, trial").

From Old French hasart, a dice game, ultimately from Arabic az-zahr ("the dice") — the sense of "risk" grew out of gambling.

From Spanish cincha, meaning a girth or belt, ultimately from Latin cingulum.

From French Astérix, based on astérisque ("asterisk"), styled to echo the many Gaulish names ending in -rix ("king").

From Old English wrīgian, "to turn or twist," related to the word wriggle — the sense drifted from a literally twisted face to a twisted, ironic sense of humor.

From Old French deliter, from Latin delectare, "to please." The modern spelling with "gh" came later, likely influenced by words like "light" and "might."

From Old French condescendre, from Late Latin condescendere ("to stoop down"), from con- plus descendere ("to descend").

Short for Abraham, after President Abraham Lincoln, whose portrait appears on the U.S. five-dollar bill.

From Latin eiaculari ("to throw out, dart"), from e- ("out") + iaculari ("to hurl"), related to iacere ("to throw").

From French orgasme, ultimately from Greek orgasmós, "excitement," related to orgáō, "to swell with excitement."