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 compiler, from Latin compilare, "to plunder" or "to pile together."

From Old French comencer, ultimately from Latin com- + initiare ("to initiate").

From Middle English beloved, the past participle of an older verb "belove" plus "-ed."

From Old French asseurer, ultimately from Latin ad- (\"to\") plus securus (\"secure\") — the same root that gives us \"secure\" and \"security.\"

From Latin aspectus, "a look or appearance," from a verb meaning "to look at."

From visible plus the noun-forming suffix -ity, via Late Latin visibilitas.

From Old English of niowe, literally "of new" — a fusion of "a-" (meaning "of") and "new."

From Old English a- ("on") plus "float."

From Old French avers, from Latin adversus, "turned against" — from ad- ("to") plus vertere ("to turn").

From Old French cronique, from Latin chronica, from Greek khronikós (\"of time\"), from khrónos (\"time\").

From Latin captivus, "taken prisoner," from capio, "to seize" — a distant cousin of "capture" and "captor."

From Old English cancer, "cancer" or "crab," ultimately from Latin cancer. A doublet of "cancer" and "chancre."

From Old French conopé, ultimately from Ancient Greek konopeion, "mosquito net" — the original canopies were nets hung over beds to keep insects away.

Borrowed from Latin quid, "what" or "something," possibly via the phrase quid pro quo — "something for something."

From Old English ceorfan ("to cut, notch"), related to German kerben ("to notch") and distantly to the Greek root behind "graph."

From Latin caerimonia ("sacredness, reverence, a sacred rite").

From Old English ceace/ceoce, meaning "cheek" or "jaw", related to Dutch kaak and German Kiefer-type words for jaw.

From Old English cīdan, meaning "to reproach or quarrel" — the word has kept roughly the same meaning for over a thousand years.

From Old French complexion, from Medieval Latin complexio, "constitution" — related to complector, "to entwine or encompass."

From Middle English conceyte, shaped by analogy with pairs like deceive/deceit — ultimately from the same Latin root as "concept."

From Old French "conquerre," from Late Latin "conquaerere," meaning "to seek out, procure" — from "con-" plus "quaerere," "to seek."

From Old French confesser, from Latin cōnfiteor, "to admit" — from con- + fateor ("to admit").

From Old French "conqueste," ultimately from Latin "conquirere," meaning "to search out or gain," built from "con-" and "quaerere," "to seek."

From Middle English cunning, originally the present participle of a verb meaning "to know how to" — related to "can" and "con" (as in "con artist").