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 Persian فارسی (fârsi), meaning "of Fars," the province whose name became linked to the Persian language after the Arab conquest of Persia introduced the Arabic-style spelling.

From Middle French "buffet," meaning a side table, of unknown deeper origin; the modern pronunciation was later reshaped to match French.

From Swedish smörgåsbord, literally "sandwich table" — smörgås ("sandwich" or "buttered bread") plus bord ("table").

From Middle English rippen, "to pluck," related to Old English words for tearing or plundering.

A straightforward compound of wall and paper, dating from the 1800s when patterned paper became a common way to decorate room walls.

From Greek anatome, "dissection," literally "cutting up" — from ana- ("up") plus temno ("to cut").

From French anarchiste, from Greek an- ("without") plus arkhe ("rule").

From "analysis" plus the verb-forming suffix "-ize," reinforced by French analyser.

Compare with French analytique. See analysis.

Formed from anemia plus the adjective ending -ic.

From Old French amuser, "to stupefy or occupy the mind," ultimately of uncertain origin.

From "ample" plus the adverb suffix "-ly".

From Latin amplificare, "to enlarge", from amplus ("ample") plus facere ("to make").

From Middle French ample, from Latin amplus, "large, spacious".

From Greek amnestia, "forgetfulness" — the same root that gives us "amnesia"; an amnesty is a formal decision to officially forget an offense.

Borrowed from French, ultimately from Latin munitio, "defense, fortification" — the initial "a" crept in when "la munition" was mistakenly split as "l'amunition".

Named after the Latin sal ammoniacus, "salt of Ammon" — the substance was first collected near a temple to the Egyptian god Ammon.

From "a-" plus "miss," originally meaning "off target" or "astray."

A later form of "amiddes," built from "amid" plus an extra "-s" and "-t" ending, common in Middle English.

From Old English on middan, "in the middle" — related to "mid" and "middle."

From Old French amiable, ultimately from Latin amicus, "friend" — the same root behind "amicable" and "amity."

From New Latin America, a Latinized feminine form of the first name of the explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

From Old French amendes, "fines" or "reparations," from the same root as "amend."

From French amendement, built on the same root as "amend."