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 Portuguese Montanha.

From murk + -some.

Coined after patriarchy, from Latin māter (“mother”) and Ancient Greek ἄρχω (árkhō, “to rule”). By surface analysis, matri- + -archy.

Borrowed from Late Latin monosyllabicus, from Latin monosyllabus, from Hellenistic Ancient Greek μονοσύλλαβος (monosúllabos). By surface analysis, monosyllable + -ic or mono- + syllabic.

From monster + -ize.

From Medieval Latin morphea, perhaps from Ancient Greek μορφή (morphḗ, “form, shape”). Doublet of morphea.

From mis- + order.

From Yiddish משוגע (meshuge, “crazy”), from Hebrew מְשׁוּגָּע (m'shugá, “crazy”), a form of שׁוּגַּע (shugá, “be driven mad”) and שִׁיגַּע (shigá, “drive mad”). First came into use in English around 1880.

From megalo- (“great”) + -polis (“city”).

A spelling variant of McIntyre.

From micro- + -lith. In the sense of rock components, the name was suggested by Vogelsang in 1867.

From Middle English mesen, of North Germanic origin. More at meek.

Anglicisation of a Scottish Gaelic patronymic surname derived from a Gaelic diminutive of Thomas.

Variant of McClellan.

From Middle English meneli, meneliche, equivalent to mean + -ly.

Borrowed from Italian morbidezza.

From meridional + -ly.

From Italian montante. Doublet of mountant.

From menstruate + -or.

From Yiddish משה (moyshe), from Hebrew משה (moshé).

From Latin necessarium (“reredorter; outhouse”), from necesse (“unavoidable or necessary [thing]”) + -ārium (“-arium, -ium: forming locations”).

Variant of McRae.

From Translingual m- (“milli-”) + English sec (“second”). First attested in 1935.

From Middle English moistnesse, moistnes, equivalent to moist + -ness.