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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Formed from "agriculture" plus the adjective ending "-al."

From Old French agreable, from agree, "to please" — built from "agree" plus the suffix "-able."

From Old French agreer, "to accept kindly," from a gre, "favorably," ultimately from Latin gratus, "pleasing."

From Medieval Latin registrum, from Late Latin regesta ("things recorded"), ultimately from Latin regerere, "to carry back, record."

Borrowed directly from Italian allegro, "cheerful, lively," the word Italian composers used to mark a fast tempo.

From Italian presto, "quickly."

From Greek agonia, "struggle, contest," from agon, "a contest" — originally describing the intense struggle before death, later broadened to any extreme suffering.

From Middle English ago, agon, "passed," ultimately from Old English agan, "to pass away, go forth" — related to "gone."

From Latin agitatio, "movement, agitation," from the verb agitare.

From Latin agitare, "to keep moving, drive on" — a frequentative form of agere, "to drive or move," the same root as "act" and "agent."

From Latin agilitas, from agilis ("nimble") — the noun form of "agile."

From Latin agilis, "nimble," from agere, "to do or move" — the same root behind "act" and "agent."

From "aggressive" + the adverb-forming suffix "-ly."

From "aggress" (from Latin aggredior, "to attack") + the adjective-forming suffix "-ive."

From Latin aggravare ("to make heavier"), from ad- ("to") + gravare ("to weigh down"), from gravis ("heavy") — the same root as "grave" and "gravity."

From Latin agens, the present participle of agere ("to do, act, drive").

From Latin agenda, literally "things that must be done" — the plural gerundive of agere ("to do, act").

From Latin cadaver, "corpse," related to the verb cadere, "to fall."

From Medieval Latin agentia, built from Latin agens ("acting"), the present participle of agere ("to act, do") — the same root as "agent."

From Old French luxurie, from Latin luxuria, "abundance, extravagance" — from luxus, "excess".

From Old French luxurios, from Latin luxuriosus, "excessive, extravagant" — from luxuria, "luxury".

Borrowed from French de luxe ("of luxury"), from Latin luxus ("excess, extravagance").

A compound of keep and sake, literally "something kept for the sake of" someone or something.

From "joke" plus the agent suffix "-er"; the playing-card sense may instead come from the German card game Juckerspiel.