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 French paladin, from Italian paladino, from Late Latin palatinus, "palace officer" — originally one of Charlemagne's twelve legendary knights.

From Old Norse jarl, the same root that eventually gave English "earl."

From Japanese 大和 (Yamato), likely connected to 山 (yama, "mountain"), reflecting the mountainous province where the ancient Japanese state first formed.

From Old English gemæd(ed), "made insane", tracing back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to change or damage".

A shortened form of Middle English despit, itself from Old French despit and Latin dēspectus, "looking down on" — the same root as "despise" and "despite."

From Middle English lasse, meaning a young girl or woman, likely related to an Old Norse word for "unmarried".

Shortened from Latin posse comitatus, "the force of the county."

From "knacker," originally the person who slaughtered worn-out horses — so being "knackered" meant fit only for the knacker's yard, worn out beyond use.

From Old English cycene, itself borrowed from Latin coquina, "kitchen," which comes from coquere, "to cook." The Latin root also gave English the separate word "cuisine," which arrived later through French and is used more for the style of cooking than the room itself.

From original + the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

From Old French joieus, itself from joie ("joy") plus the adjective suffix -eus.

From Middle English impossible, from im- + possible.

Traces back to a Middle English word for a burn mark or scar, ultimately linked to a French verb meaning "to cook" — the modern sense of "one who quits" developed separately in English.

From Latin quota pars, meaning "how large a part."

Developed from "quit," ultimately from Latin quiētus — the same root behind "quiet" and "quietus."

From Old English cwellan, "to kill" — related to the modern word kill.

From Middle English key, ultimately from a Gaulish word meaning "enclosure." The modern spelling was changed to match French quai.

From quarter + master, originally "master of quartering" — the officer in charge of housing troops.

From Old French pleit, ultimately from Latin plectere, "to weave" — a doublet of "pleat" and "plight" (in its older "fold" sense).

Shortened from "taximeter cab" — taximeter being the fare-calculating meter, from French taximètre, itself from Medieval Latin taxa ("charge, tax").

From French physique.

From Old French fleume, ultimately from Greek phlegma ("inflammation" or "clammy bodily fluid"), from phlegein, "to burn." In ancient medicine phlegm was one of the four bodily humors, believed to make people calm or sluggish.

Scottish Gaelic

From Scots plaid, of uncertain origin, possibly linked to Scottish Gaelic words for a blanket or covering.

Borrowed from French pirouette, in use in English since around 1706.