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 use + -less.

Middle French · 1500

Adopted from Middle French Suisse in the early 1500s, alongside the older form Switzer borrowed directly from German.

From Georgia plus the suffix -n.

From Old Norse danir or Old English Dene, both from a shared Proto-Germanic root.

From Cuba plus the adjective-forming suffix "-an."

Formed from the country name Colombia, itself named after explorer Christopher Columbus, plus the suffix "-an" meaning "of or belonging to."

Built from the country name Chile plus the adjective-forming suffix -an, the same pattern seen in "American" or "Canadian".

From Greek barbaros ("foreign, non-Greek"), possibly imitating the sound of unfamiliar languages — much like the English phrase "blah blah blah."

Formed from Bolivia plus the adjective-forming suffix -an.

From Old French avant-garde, literally "before guard" — the part of a force that goes ahead of the main body. It's a doublet of the French loanword avant-garde, used today for pioneering artists and ideas.

Thought to be a playful respelling of "Sunday," possibly linked to selling ice cream as a treat on that day.

From Old French serpent, from Latin serpēns, present participle of serpere, "to creep, crawl."

From Latin fugitīvus, related to fugiō, "to flee."

From vocal + -ist.

From Latin papyrus, from Greek papyros — the ultimate source of the word "paper" itself.

From Old English strang, from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "tight" or "stiff" — the same root behind "string" and "strict."

From Old English glæs, going back to a Germanic root possibly related to "glow" or "shine" — glass was named for the way it reflects and catches light.

From Old French deservir, from Latin deservire, "to serve zealously" — from de- + servire ("to serve").

From "news" plus "paper," reflecting its original printed format.

From Medieval Latin īnfāmōsus, from Latin īnfāmis — in- + fāma, "fame, reputation."

Borrowed from Sanskrit dharma, "that which upholds or supports," related to the Pali word dhamma.

A very old compound of "gold" and "smith" (a metalworker), traceable back to Old English goldsmiþ.

From Middle English ladde, meaning "servant, young man, or boy," of uncertain further origin.

From "lad" plus the diminutive suffix "-ie."