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 "archaeology" plus the "-ist" suffix, meaning "a person who practices".

From Anglo-Norman trial, from trier, "to test, sort, pick out" — the same French root behind triage.

From un- + fathom (originally, to measure the depth of water) + -able.

From Old English fæþm, originally meaning "outstretched arms" or "embrace" — the span of a person's arms was once used to measure length.

Originally a trademarked canned meat brand; the internet sense comes from a 1970s Monty Python sketch where "Spam" is chanted repeatedly and annoyingly, which stuck as slang for unwanted repetitive messages online.

From the phrasal verb "turn over", used as a noun for business activity, staff changes, or a pastry folded over itself.

From Old French flux, from Latin fluxus ("flow").

From Old French salade, ultimately from Latin sal ("salt") — Roman vegetable dishes were originally seasoned with a salty dressing.

Inherited from Middle English Coventre, from Old English Cofentrēo, Cofantrēo, of obscure origin. Believed to be derived from an Anglo-Saxon named Cofa, hence Cofantrēo (literally “Cofa's tree”). Traditionally, yet baselessly outside its history, tempted to be linked to English covenant.

From Old English wæċċe, related to the verb "wake" — originally referring to staying awake and alert.

From Old English turnian and Old French torner, both ultimately from Latin tornare, "to round off on a lathe," from tornus, "lathe."

From common + wealth, originally meaning "the general well-being of the public" before it came to describe a self-governing state.

From Greek analogia, meaning "proportion" or "correspondence."

From Old English wearte, from a Proto-Germanic root also giving Dutch wrat and German Warze.

Related to "nib," an old word for a point or tip.

From French insipide, from Latin insipidus, from in- ("not") + sapidus ("tasty").

From French fort, "strong," reshaped in English to a two-syllable pronunciation by association with the unrelated Italian musical term forte, also meaning "strong" or "loud."

From Old English ċildisċ, formed from "child" plus the suffix -ish.

Formed from electric plus the suffix -ity; ultimately traces to Greek ēlektron, "amber," since static electricity was first observed by rubbing amber.

From draw ("to pull"), describing a garment pulled on over the legs; in use since the late 1500s.

From "work" plus the suffix "-er," denoting someone who does the action. It gradually replaced the older word "wright."

Borrowed directly from Latin radius, meaning "ray" or "spoke".

From Old English drān, an old Germanic word for the male bee — the "buzzing" and "aircraft" senses both grew from this root over time.

From "bee" plus "hive."