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 Latin dēdūcere ("to lead away, derive"), from dē- ("from, away") + dūcere ("to lead").

From Latin assumere ("to take up, accept"), from ad- plus sumere ("to take").

From Latin intellegens, "discerning, understanding," present participle of intellegere.

Formed from Texas plus the suffix "-an", used to describe someone or something belonging to a place.

From Old English trēowþ, related to "true" — the two words share the same Germanic root meaning firm or faithful.

From Old French reel, from Late Latin reālis ("actual"), ultimately from Latin res ("thing, matter").

From Old French champion, from Medieval Latin campio ("combatant in single combat"), ultimately from Latin campus ("field," as in a battlefield).

From French pilot, ultimately traced to an Ancient Greek word for the blade of an oar — the same root behind "rudder"-related words in Greek.

From Greek keramikos ("of pottery"), from keramos ("potter's clay").

From Old English tigele, ultimately from Latin tēgula, meaning "roof tile," related to a root meaning "to cover."

From French Breton, going back through Old French to Latin Brittō — the same root that eventually gave English "Briton".

From Old French surnoun ("surname, nickname"), from Late Latin supernomen — literally a "name added on top", from super- ("above") + nomen ("name").

From Medieval Latin Britannia, the same root as Britain — the two words are historical doublets referring to different Celtic lands.

From Old English sceoppa ("shed, booth, stall"), from an ancient Germanic root for a barn or shed; the verb was formed later from the noun.

From Old English tūn, originally meaning "an enclosure" or "fenced homestead," borrowed long before that from a Celtic word for "stronghold."

Borrowed from Italian segue, "it follows," originally a musical direction meaning the next passage should play without a pause.

From Middle English cowardise, borrowed from Anglo-Norman cuardise (modern French couardise).

Origin uncertain; possibly from Italian guantone (from guanto, "a glove"), though many theories exist.

From Latin genus ("kind, class") plus the adjective suffix -ic, via French générique.

From Latin generare ("to beget, produce") plus the agent suffix -or.

From "road" plus the agent suffix "-ster," originally describing a horse suited for riding on roads before the term was applied to cars and bikes.

From Middle English bille, via Anglo-Norman from Medieval Latin bulla, meaning "sealed document" — the same root that gives us "bull" as in "papal bull."

From neuro- ("nerve") plus -otic ("having a condition"), tracing back to Greek neuron ("nerve"). In use since the 17th century.

From Middle English halou/halloo, a shout used to call attention.