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 Middle English caboche ("head"), borrowed from Anglo-Norman caboche, likely built from Latin caput ("head") — the cabbage was named for its round, head-like shape.

From Old English folgian ("to follow, pursue"), an old Germanic verb.

From Latin calculare, "to reckon," from calculus, "a small pebble" — pebbles were once used as counters for doing sums.

From Old English dropian, related to an ancient root meaning "to hang, drip, or fall in drops" — the same source as "drip."

From Old English drīfende, the present-participle form of "drive" — the same pattern as walking from walk.

From Old English dreahnian, related to Old English drygan, "to dry."

From Old French bastart, "illegitimate child," probably from a Frankish word for an irregular union combined with the pejorative suffix -art.

From Latin discutere, "to shake apart or examine," built from dis- ("apart") and quatere ("to shake") — the idea of shaking an issue apart to look at every side of it.

From Old French discussion, from Latin discussio, tied to the same root as "discuss" — literally a "shaking apart" of an issue.

Borrowed from Latin numero, the ablative form of numerus, "number".

A compound of chop and stick, though the exact meaning of "chop" here is disputed — an older theory linking it to Chinese Pidgin English "chop-chop" (quick) is now considered too late to fit the word's history.

Origin uncertain, but likely from a Middle English word for a weight attached to an animal's leg to slow it down — a sense that later broadened to mean any obstruction or hindrance.

From Old French user, "to use, employ," from Latin ūtor, "to use."

From Ancient Greek enthousiasmos, based on en- ("in") + theos ("god"), originally meaning divine inspiration or possession by a god.

The verb comes from Middle English scolden; the noun is older still, possibly linked to Old Norse skald, "poet" — since medieval poets sometimes wrote biting, insulting verses.

From Middle French tanter ("to tempt, provoke"), a variant of the word that also gave English "tempt" — the two are historical doublets.

From Middle English sneren, ultimately traced back to an Old English word meaning "to snort."

From "dysfunction" plus the adjective-forming suffix "-al".

From function + the adjective suffix -al.

From Old French membre, from Latin membrum ("limb, body part").

From member plus the suffix -ship.

From Anglo-Norman plenté, ultimately from Latin plenitas ("fullness"), from plenus ("full") — the same root that gives us "full," "complete," and "replenish."

From Latin "cornu copiae," literally "horn of plenty."

From Latin copiosus ("plentiful"), from copia ("abundance").