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 correccion, from Latin correctio — from the same root as "correct".

From Middle English pap, related to similar words across Germanic and Romance languages for soft food — likely originating in baby-talk.

From French psychologie, ultimately from Greek psykhē ("soul, mind") + -logia ("study of").

From Latin iunctio, "a joining," from iungere, "to join."

From puff + -ed.

From Old French chapitre, from Latin capitulum ("a chapter of a book"), a diminutive of caput ("head") — the same root as "capital".

Origin uncertain, though it's linked to old dialect words meaning to potter, trifle, or search about in confusion.

From French crêpe, from Latin crispus, "curled" — a doublet of the English words "crisp" and "crape".

From Middle English forener, built from foreign + -er.

From Old French combination, from Late Latin combinatio, built from combine plus the noun suffix -ation.

From Middle French combiner, from Late Latin combinare ("to unite, yoke together"), from Latin con- ("together") + bini ("two by two").

From Latin defectus ("a failure, lack"), from deficere ("to fail, undo"), formed from de- + facere ("to do").

From Old French defectif, from Late Latin dēfectīvus, sharing its root with "defect."

Borrowed from Ancient Greek nous, meaning "mind" or "intellect."

A compound of sail + boat.

From Old French distant, from Latin distans, present participle of distare, "to stand apart."

Borrowed from Latin compōnēns, compōnēntis, present participle of compōnō (“assemble, put together”).

From Old French quarte, from Latin quartus, "fourth" — a quart being a quarter of a gallon.

From Old English furlang, a compound of furh ("furrow") and lang ("long") — originally the standard length of a plowed furrow.

A compound of shit and house, with cognates in German and Scandinavian languages.

From psychology plus the agent suffix -ist.

From Latin taxatio ("assessment, valuation"), via Anglo-Norman; by surface analysis, tax plus -ation.

From Old French departir, from Late Latin departire ("to divide"), from de- ("away") and partire ("to part, divide").

From Old French deportëure, related to "depart" — originally could also mean "death," a sense that still lingers in phrases like "her sad departure."