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 Latin humor ("liquid, moisture"). Medieval medicine held that four bodily fluids ("humours") controlled mood and health, which is how the word came to mean "state of mind" and later "funniness."

From "lady" plus "bug", following the same pattern as "ladybird" — the "lady" again refers to the Virgin Mary.

From Ancient Greek Alexandros, "defender of men," from alexo ("to defend") + aner ("man").

Borrowed from the native name of the language, Pashto.

From Latin cylindricus, formed on cylinder plus the adjectival suffix -ical.

From Latin ēventus, "an occurrence," from ēveniō, "to happen" — related to venture and invent.

From Latin aggregare ("to flock together"), from ad- ("to") + grex ("flock") — the same root as "gregarious" and "egregious."

From French alcôve, from Spanish alcoba, from Arabic al-qubba, "vaulted chamber."

From Latin occultus, "hidden, secret", past participle of occulere, related to celare, "to hide" — the same root as "conceal".

Built from negligence/negligent plus the suffix -ible, "able to be."

From Latin curiositas, from curiosus, "careful, inquisitive" — related to cura, "care."

From Latin curiosus, "careful, inquisitive," from cura, "care" — the same root that gives us "curator" and "curious."

Old English · 1830

From an old English dialect word "feeze," meaning to frighten or drive off, first recorded in standard use around 1830.

Origin uncertain, first recorded in the mid-1800s; theories link it to old slang for "name" or to words meaning "monogram" or "monk," but none is confirmed.

From Old French segnal and Late Latin signalis, from Latin signum ("sign").

From Old French feste, from Latin festum ("holiday, festival") — a doublet of "fete", "fiesta", and "fest".

From Old English nosþyrel, literally "nose hole" — a fusion of nose and thirl ("hole"), the same thirl found in nostril's old cousin "thrill."

From Middle English ser. Popularised in modern fantasy by George R. R. Martin in the A Song of Ice and Fire series starting in 1996.

From Old English brōm ("broom") plus lēah ("wood").

From Old English brant ("steep"), referring to hills.

From "delirium" plus -ous, ultimately from Latin delirus, "crazy" or "off track."

From Middle English ache, borrowed from Old French ache, ultimately from Latin apium, "parsley."

From Old English onweġ, literally "on one's way", from a- + way.

From German Prag, ultimately from Slavic, a doublet of Czech Praha.