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 rodens, "gnawing," the present participle of rodere, "to gnaw."

From Latin particula, "small part," a diminutive of pars, "part."

Borrowed from French masseuse, the feminine form of masseur.

Borrowed directly from French masseur, someone who performs massage.

From French massage, from masser, "to massage," possibly borrowed from Arabic massa, "to touch," or from Portuguese amassar.

From Middle French massacre, likely from an Old French word for a slaughterhouse or butchery; ultimate origin disputed.

From Old French maçonerie, related to mason plus the suffix "-ry."

From Mason (in the sense "Freemason") plus the suffix "-ic."

From Old French maçon, likely traced back to a Frankish word meaning "to make" or "build."

From mask plus the suffix "-ed."

From Middle French masque, from Italian maschera, from Medieval Latin masca — a doublet of "masque" and "mesh," and the source of "mascara" and "mascot" too.

From Old English mǣsc, related to German Maische and the English word "mix."

A back-formed verb from the noun maser, on the model of "lase" from "laser."

From French masculinité, built from masculine plus the suffix "-ity."

From Medieval Latin nadir, from Arabic naẓīr as-samt, meaning "counterpart of the zenith."

Borrowed from French mayonnaise; one popular theory traces it to Maó (Mahón) on the island of Minorca, said to be where the recipe originated.

From Latin quiētus, "at rest," the same root that gives us "quit," "quite," and "quietus."

From Old English pipe, "a tube or musical wind instrument," from Proto-West Germanic roots imitating a chirping or piping sound.

Probably a dialect form of blee, an old word for "complexion" or "appearance."

From Middle English instrumental, instrumentale, from Medieval Latin īnstrūmentālis, equivalent to instrument + -al.

From Old English yfel, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch euvel and German übel, all meaning "bad" or "evil."

The peach traveled west along the Silk Road from Persia, and its name reflects that journey — it comes ultimately from a Latin phrase meaning "Persian apple", via Old French pesche.

Scottish Gaelic

Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic loch, related to English "lake".

An imitative word — it simply mimics the sound of someone clearing their throat.