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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A playful blend likely combining "huge" with the ending of "monstrous," first appearing in informal American English.

From Latin convolutus, "rolled together, twisted" — related to "revolve."

From Italian profilo, from Latin pro- ("before") plus filum ("a thread, line") — literally "a line drawn beforehand."

From Old French demeine, "power, rule," ultimately from Latin dominium, "ownership" — related to "dominion" and "dame."

From Old English sēam ("seam"), from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "that which is sewn."

From Old Norse soema, "to conform to, befit," related to Old English seman, "to reconcile."

From Old English beard, an ancient Germanic word for facial hair, related to Latin barba (which also gives us "barber" and "barb").

The musical sense is a respelling of base, influenced by Italian basso, "low." The fish name is unrelated, from Old English.

From Old French perche, from Latin perca, from Greek perke, "perch (the fish)".

The "look closely" sense comes from Middle English peren, likely from Old English roots meaning "to look" or "to peer." The "equal/nobleman" sense comes separately from Latin par, "equal."

A compound of fresh (meaning "not salty") and water.

From Old French celestial, from Latin caelestis, "of the heavens," from caelum, "sky."

Likely borrowed from Dutch dinges ("thingamajig") or a related Afrikaans word, with the ending reshaped to look like a Latin -us word.

From Latin prōstitūtus, past participle of prōstituō, literally "to set up publicly for sale" — from prō ("before, forth") plus statuō ("to set up.")

From Old English weorþscipe, literally "worth-ship" — the state of being worthy of honour.

From Anglo-Norman arraier ("to put in order"), tracing back to a Germanic word meaning "ready, prepared".

Traces back to "Joe Zilch," an American placeholder name from 1920s vaudeville and newspaper columns, used the way "John Doe" is used today.

From Middle English defeten, ultimately tied to a root meaning "undone" or "disfigured" — the sense of being ruined or destroyed came before the modern sporting sense.

From Latin investigare, "to track or search into" (in- + vestigare, "to track," from vestigium, "footprint" — the same root as "vestige").

From human plus the suffix -oid, meaning "resembling."

Borrowed directly from French femme ("woman").

From Old English eowu, from a Proto-Germanic root related to Latin ovis, "sheep."

From Old English hamor, from a Proto-Germanic word for a stone-headed tool, related to German Hammer and Dutch hamer.

From Latin exhaurire, "to draw out completely, drain" — ex- plus haurire ("to draw, drink").