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.

Browse etymology by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Recently added

From mercy + -fy.

From maturation + -al.

From mesmerize + -er.

From monogamous + -ness.

From mutton + headed.

From a Scottish Gaelic surname meaning "son of Richard".

From French narghilé, from Turkish nargile, from Persian نارگیله (nârgile) from نارگیل (nârgil, “a coconut”), which was formerly used to construct the bowl, likely ultimately from Sanskrit नारिकेल (nārikela, “a coconut”), from a Dravidian language.

Possibly an alteration or deformation of mash.

From Ancient Greek μέλος (mélos).

Southern Irish variant of McCarthy.

Borrowed from Hebrew נַחַ״ל.

From Middle English misgilt, equivalent to mis- + guilt.

memorialisation

From memorial + -isation.

Variant of McBride.

From mis- + match (verb sense).

Composed by necro- + -phage, from Ancient Greek νεκροφάγος (nekrophágos), from νεκρός (nekrós, “cadaver”) and φάγος (phágos, “one who eats”).

From money + man.

From moronic + -ness.

From Latin nabla, from Ancient Greek νάβλα (nábla, “Phoenician harp”), from ancient Hebrew נֵבֶל (nḗḇel) or a Phoenician cognate. Doublet of nebel, which comes via the modern Hebrew נֵ֤בֶל.

From mistrust + -ful.

From Byzantine Greek Μεθόδιος (Methódios), from Ancient Greek μέθοδος (méthodos), from μετ’ (met’, apocopic form of μετά (metá)) + ὁδός (hodós). By surface analysis, met- + -hod + -ius.

Borrowed from Latin mātrōna (“matron”), from māter (“mother; matron”). Doublet of matron.

From mis- + grace.

From mend (noun, verb) + -s (suffix forming pluralia tantum, regular plurals of nouns, and the third-person singular indicative present tense of verbs).