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 hālig, related to hāl ("whole, healthy") — the same root that gives us the word "whole."

From Latin consecrare, "to make completely sacred" — con- ("thoroughly") plus sacrare ("to hallow"), the same root as "sacred."

From Old French crestienté, ultimately from Latin christianus (\"Christian\"), from Greek Khristianós, from Khristós (\"Christ, the anointed one\").

From Old English creda, from Latin credo, "I believe" — the same root as "credit" and "credo".

From Old French menistere, going back to Latin ministerium, built on minister plus the noun-forming suffix "-y."

From mission plus the suffix -ary, "relating to."

From Latin missio, "a sending," from mittere, "to send."

From Old English moste, the past tense of a verb meaning "to be allowed or obliged to."

Old English · 1500

From Old English cūþe, the past tense of cunnan ("to be able"). The "l" was added in the 1500s by analogy with should and would, even though it was never pronounced.

From Old English miht/meaht ("ability, power, strength"), related to "may".

The past tense of "shall" in Old English, which weakened over time into today's modal verb of advice and expectation.

From Old English sceal, related to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to owe" or "to be obliged".

From Old English willan ("to want, wish"), a very old Germanic word related to German wollen and Dutch willen.

From Old English weġ, an ancient word for "road" or "path" that goes all the way back to a shared Indo-European root also behind Latin vehere ("to carry").

From Latin infinitas, "unlimitedness," from in- ("not") plus finis ("end").

From Italian mozzarella, from mozzare, "to cut off" — describing how the cheese curd is cut during shaping.

A shortening of "psychotic" or "psychopath."

From Old French degré, from Latin gradus ("step"), with the prefix dē- added — literally "a step down or along."

From Hungarian Budapest, a blend of Buda and Pest.

Imitative in origin, describing a short sharp sound.

From Latin vagus, meaning "wandering, uncertain" — the same root that gives us "vagrant" and "vagabond."

From Latin securus, "free from care," from se- ("without") + cura ("care") — literally "careless" in the old sense of untroubled. The same root gives us "cure" and "sure."

From Old English āgen, originally the past participle of āgan ("to owe, possess") — the same root as "owe."

From Greek problema, "something thrown forward" or "an obstacle," from proballo, "to put forward" — the same idea as something being placed in your path.