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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Blend of net + notebook, a trademark registered by Psion.

From Middle French naturaliser. By surface analysis, natural + -ise.

From the Scottish Gaelic variant of McCullough.

From Middle English misheren, from Old English mishȳran, mishīeran (“to hear amiss, not listen to, disobey”), equivalent to mis- + hear.

From nether- + stock.

From narrator + -y.

Variant of McAllister.

multinationally

From multinational + -ly.

From Middle English muscilage, mussillage, from Middle French mucilage (“viscous substance found in vegetable material”), from Late Latin mūcilāgō (“musty or moldy juice”). See Greek μούχλα (moúchla, “mold”), and related derivatives, for example mushroom, from *meus- (“mosses, mold, mildew”).

From neglect + -ful.

From new + -fag.

From mis- + stowed.

Borrowed from Russian меньшеви́к (menʹševík), derived from меньшинство́ (menʹšinstvó, “minority”), formed in turn from Russian ме́ньше (ménʹše), the comparative of ма́лый (mályj, “little”).

From military + -ist.

From Turkish muhtar and Ottoman Turkish مختار (muhtar, “village headman”), from North Levantine Arabic مختار (“village headman”), from substantive application of Arabic مُخْتَار (muḵtār, “chosen”).

From meteoroid + -al.

Compare mohair.

From milk + -ie.

From multi- + sexual, by analogy with bisexual.

From mis- + copy.

From Ancient Greek μεταφράζομαι (metaphrázomai, “consider after”). By surface analysis, meta- + phrase.

Variant of McLaren.

From middling + -ly.

From Middle English mytre, from Old French mitre, from Ancient Greek μίτρα (mítra, “headband, turban”). Its use in reference to a counterfeit coin derived from the bishop's mitre stamped upon it. Doublet of Mithras, Mithra, Mitra, and Mehr.