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 scip, tracing back to a Proto-Germanic word for a vessel, ultimately possibly linked to a root meaning "to cut" or "to hollow out" — as ships were once made from hollowed logs.

Formed from "vegetable" plus the suffix -arian; the word spread after the British Vegetarian Society was founded in 1847.

Coined in 1944 by Donald Watson, founder of the Vegan Society, as a shortened form of "vegetarian."

From Hebrew דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel), literally "God is my judge," the name of the biblical prophet in the Book of Daniel.

From Late Latin Christophorus, from Koine Greek Khristóphoros, "carrier of Christ."

From Old French Charles, ultimately from Frankish and Old High German Karl, from a Proto-Germanic word meaning "free man" — the same root as "churl."

From Latin requiem, the opening word of the traditional Mass for the dead, from requies, "rest," from re- plus quies ("quiet, rest").

From Medieval Latin simultaneus, from simul ("together, at the same time").

First recorded in the 1660s; the exact origin is unclear.

Possibly from Middle Dutch swijch, "twig" — the earliest meaning was a thin flexible rod, and the electrical/mechanical sense came much later, around 1800.

From "port" (an opening) plus "hole."

From accustom + -ed.

From Old English mæst, going back to a Proto-Germanic and ultimately Proto-Indo-European root meaning "pole" — related to German Mast and Dutch mast.

Borrowed from Dutch "sloep," related to the word "shallop," another term for a light boat.

From Old English sīde ("side, flank"), from a Germanic root related to Proto-Indo-European words for "long" or "lasting".

From Old English nafola, from Proto-Germanic roots meaning "hub" — the same ancient root also produced the word "nave" (a wheel hub).

From Old English net, nett, going back to a very old root meaning "to knot, turn, or twist."

Named after the Battle of Marathon in ancient Greece; legend holds that a messenger ran from Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory, and the modern race commemorates that run.

A shortening of "telephone," first recorded in this clipped form in 1884; "telephone" itself combines Greek tele- ("far") and phone ("sound").

A blend of telephone and marathon.

Borrowed via Latin from Greek mania, "madness," related to the verb mainesthai, "to rage or be furious."

From Russian vodka, a diminutive of voda ("water") — literally something like "little water."

From an earlier form gamel, related to Old English gamenian ("to play, joke"), itself from gamen ("game, amusement") — so gambling and gaming share the same root.

From count + down, originally popularized by rocket launches.