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 Anglo-Norman jaiole, tracing back to Latin cavea, "cage" — the same root that gives us "cage" and "cajole."

From French col, "neck," from Latin collum, "neck" — the shape of a mountain col resembles a neck between two higher points.

From Old French estrif, related to the verb estriver ("to strive, quarrel"), itself from a Frankish root — the same origin as "strive."

From Middle English recorde, borrowed from Old French record, ultimately from Latin recordari ("to remember, call to mind").

From Old English "strand" ("shore"), related to German and Scandinavian words for "beach"; the "thread of rope" sense developed as a separate but similarly old use.

From Old French prison, ultimately from Latin prehensio, "a seizing" — the same root that gives us "prehension" (grasping).

From Latin aquaticus, "relating to water," from aqua, "water."

Formed from "cleave" (to split) plus the agent suffix "-er" — literally "a thing that cleaves."

Built from the verb "cleave" (to split) plus the noun-forming suffix "-age" — the same pattern as "breakage" from "break."

From Old English geclyft, related to "cleave" (to split) — a cleft is literally something that has been cloven.

From Old English "*dympel", "a pit or hollow", related to Proto-Germanic roots meaning "deep" or "hollow".

Borrowed directly from Japanese geta (下駄).

From French foyer, "hearth" or "home," ultimately from Latin focus, "hearth."

From Old English heorþ, an ancient Germanic word for the fireplace at the center of a home — the root behind the phrase "hearth and home."

From Middle French descendant, present participle of descendre, "to descend."

From Old French cheminee, ultimately from Latin camīnus, itself from Greek kámīnos meaning "furnace".

From fire and place.

From boil plus the agent suffix -er.

From "stock" plus the suffix "-ing" — originally referred to hose or leg coverings.

From Latin reactio, built from re- ("again") and agere ("to do, to act").

From Old French porteor, from Latin portare ("to carry"), formed as "port" (carry) plus the agent suffix "-er". The beer, originally popular with London street porters, takes its name from the same word.

From Latin significans, present participle of significare ("to signify, indicate").

From Latin māteria, "wood, substance, matter," itself from māter, "mother" — the idea of raw matter as the "mother" from which things are made.

Taken from the letter name "ef" (F), the first letter of the word it politely stands in for.