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 supreme + -acy.

From Latin supremus, the superlative of superus ("above"). A doublet of supremo.

From Latin statio, "a standing, post, or position," through Old French estation — related to stand and stasis.

From Late Latin physicalis, ultimately from Ancient Greek phusikos ("of nature"), from phusis ("nature").

From Old English stempan, meaning to crush or pound, from a Proto-Germanic root for trampling — postage stamps got their name because early postal marks were literally stamped onto letters by hand.

From Middle English "budde," probably going back to a Germanic root meaning "to swell," the same idea behind a plant bud swelling before it opens.

From Old French parcelle, "a small piece or part," from Latin particula ("particle") — parcel and particle are doublets, both descending from the same Latin root.

From French terroriste, built from terror plus the agent-forming suffix -ist. The word first appeared in English in the 1790s to describe those behind the Reign of Terror in revolutionary France.

From Spanish/Portuguese words meaning "helper," ultimately from Latin adiuvare ("to help, assist").

From Old English softe, from a Germanic root meaning "smooth, even, agreeable" — related to the word "same."

From Old English purs, itself partly from a word meaning "wallet, bag" and partly from Medieval Latin bursa ("leather bag") — the same root that gives us "bursar."

The container sense traces back through French and Spanish to Arabic jarra, "earthen vessel"; the clashing/jolting sense developed separately in English as an imitation of a harsh, discordant sound.

From the 1610s, simply "water" plus "melon," describing its unusually high water content compared to other melons. Other languages coined near-identical compounds, like French melon d'eau and German Wassermelone.

From Old French figue, ultimately from Latin ficus, "fig tree" — a doublet of the word "fico."

From Old English þus, related to the word "this."

From Old English þurh, going back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to pass through."

From Old French societé, from Latin societas ("fellowship, alliance"), from socius ("companion, ally") — first used in English in the 1530s.

A compound of "bird" and "song".

From French fabrique, ultimately from Latin fabrica, "workshop" or "product of skilled work," from faber, "craftsman."

From Old English nacodnes, built from naked plus the suffix -ness.

From "nude" + "-ity," echoing Late Latin nuditas.

From Middle English mulbery, partly from Old English and partly from a Low German word, ultimately from Latin morus ("mulberry tree").

From Old English blæcberġe, a straightforward combination of black and berry.

From Old English seocnes, built from "sick" plus "-ness".