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 ancien, from Vulgar Latin anteanus, built from ante ("before").

From Latin conventio, "a coming together, an agreement," from convenire, "to come together."

From convention + -al.

From Greek orthodoxos, combining orthos ("straight, correct") and doxa ("opinion") — literally "having the correct opinion."

From un- + orthodox.

From heretic plus the adjective suffix -al, via Medieval Latin haereticālis.

From Ancient Greek hairetikós ("able to choose"), via Old French eretique.

The Mesoamerican sense comes from the Maya people's own name for themselves; the philosophical sense is from Sanskrit māyā, meaning "illusion" or the power that creates it.

From Medieval Latin dēmōn, borrowed from Ancient Greek daímōn, originally meaning a protective or guiding spirit rather than something evil.

From Old English drūgaþ, related to the word "dry" — a drought is, at its root, simply an extended dry spell.

From French chandelier, ultimately from Latin candela ("candle") — chandeliers were originally frames for holding multiple candles.

From Old English candelsticca, a compound of candle + stick.

From Old English candel, borrowed from Latin candela, from candere, "to shine" — the same root behind "candid" and "candela".

From Old French variable, from Latin variare, "to change," based on varius, "different, varied."

From Old French varier, from Latin variare, "to change, make different," based on varius, "various."

From Latin inveniō, "to come upon, find, discover," from in- + veniō ("come").

From Latin magnificus, "great in deeds", built from magnus, "great", and a form of facere, "to do".

From the Malay word Melayu, originally the name of an ancient kingdom on Sumatra.

From "panorama" + the adjective suffix "-ic."

From Old French enheriter, from Late Latin inhereditare, "to make an heir."

From Old French Lombard, ultimately from Late Latin Langobardus, from Germanic elements meaning "long" + "beard" (or possibly "axe").

From outstand, equivalent to out- + standing or outstand + -ing.

Coined in 1909 by Danish botanist Wilhelm Johannsen, taken from the last part of the earlier word pangene, itself rooted in Greek genea, "generation" or "descent."

From "rub" plus "-er" — originally named because the material was used to rub out pencil marks, before its other uses became more common.