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 "blēdan," derived from the word for blood — the same root also gives us "blood" itself.

The past participle of "bite", formed with the old "-en" ending.

From Middle English bound/bounden, the past participle of "bind" — something "bound" was originally something tied or fastened.

From Old English bindan, going back to a very old Indo-European root meaning "to tie" — the same root gives us "bandana" and "band."

Origin uncertain — likely from old criminal slang, possibly connected to a Middle English word for "advantage" or to "abet," meaning to incite or urge on.

From the past-tense and past-participle forms of Middle English benden, "to bend."

From Old English bendan, "to bend a bow" — from the same root as "bind" and "band," since bending a bow originally meant stringing it tight.

From Old English befeallan, combining the prefix "be-" with "fall," originally meaning something like "to fall upon."

From Old English becuman, "to happen, arrive, come to be," built from "be-" (around) and "come." The sense of "suit, look good on" developed separately, influenced by a similar-sounding Middle English word meaning "to please."

The past participle of beat, formed by adding -en.

From Old English "boren," the past participle of "beran" ("to carry, bear") — the same origin as "born," but "borne" kept the general "carried/endured" meaning.

From Old English "boren," the past participle of "beran" ("to bear, carry"), the same root as the verb "bear."

From Old English "borian" ("to pierce"), related to Latin words for piercing or striking; the "dull person" sense likely grew from the idea of wearing someone down, as if drilling into them.

Inherited from Middle English were, wer, see wer.

From Latin advocātus, "one called to help," related to advocāre, "to call for" — a calque of the Greek term behind English "paraclete."

From Middle English awake, a shortened form of awaken.

From Middle English roots meaning literally "eye sore" — something that hurts to look at.

From Old English forms meaning literally "eye lid" — a compound of "eye" and "lid," a covering.

A compound of "eye" + "lash."

From French facette, a diminutive of face, "face" — literally "little face."

From Middle Dutch "curc," probably from Spanish "corcho." A doublet of "cortex."

From copy plus right, referring to the legal right over how a copy of a work is made and used.

From Arabic islam, "submission" or "surrender" (to the will of God) — first used in English around 1610.

Borrowed from Arabic muslim, meaning "one who submits," from the verb aslama, "he submitted" — referring to submission to God.