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 English nefa ("nephew, grandson"), the same root that eventually gave English "nephew" — "neve" simply fell out of everyday use as "nephew" took over.

Built from the prefix "hetero-" ("different, other") plus "sexual." First recorded in English in 1892, in a translation of Krafft-Ebing's Psychopathia Sexualis.

From play + wright ("a maker or builder") — literally a "maker of plays," on the same pattern as shipwright.

From Old French encens, "sweet-smelling substance," from Late Latin incensum, literally "something burnt." Related to incendiary and incendō, "to set on fire."

From Ancient Greek tripous, "three-footed," via Latin tripus/tripodis — built from tri- ("three") + pod- ("foot").

From Latin dēfīnītus, the past participle of dēfīniō — the same root as "define."

From Latin indefinitus, "not defined," from in- ("not") + definitus ("defined, limited").

From Italian magnifico ("magnificent"), a close relative of the English word "magnific."

From a Northern Middle English phrase "at do," a Scandinavian-influenced way of saying "to do" — the same "at" used before verbs in Danish.

From Latin admittere, "to send toward, to allow in," from ad- ("to") plus mittere ("to send").

From Latin admissio, from admittere ("to admit") — see "admit."

From Latin admirari, "to wonder at," from ad- ("toward") plus mirari ("to marvel, be amazed").

From Latin admiratio, from admirari ("to wonder at") — ad- ("toward") plus mirari ("to marvel").

From French amirauté, "office of an admiral," ultimately from the same root as "admiral."

From Medieval Latin admiralis, itself borrowed and reshaped from Arabic amir ("commander"). It was later linked by folk etymology to Latin admirari ("to admire"), which is why it looks like an English word but isn't related in origin.

From Latin admirabilis, "worthy of wonder," from admirari ("to admire") — see "admire."

From Latin administrator, "one who manages" — from the same root as "administer."

From Latin administratio, from administrare ("to manage") — see "administer."

From Old French eschaper, ultimately from Vulgar Latin *excappāre — literally "to get out of one's cape," from Latin ex- ("out") plus cappa ("cloak"). The image is of slipping out of a garment to get away.

From dialectal English snug (“tight, handsome”), perhaps from Old Norse snøggr, from Proto-Germanic *snawwuz (“short, quick, fast”). Compare Icelandic snöggur (“smooth”), Danish snög (“neat”), Swedish snygg (“handsome, nice-looking”). Compare also English snudge (“to nestle, remain snug and quiet”).

From French liaison ("binding"), from Latin ligare ("to bind").

A clipped, informal form of "introduction."

From un- ("not") plus employed, the past participle of employ.

From Middle English stale, from Old French estal (“fixed position, place”), but probably originally from Proto-Germanic *stāną (“to stand”): compare West Flemish stel in the same sense for ‘beer’ and ‘urine’.