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 hat, going back to a Germanic root shared with "heat" — one of the oldest and most basic words in the language.

From Old English cald/ceald, going back through Proto-Germanic to a very old Indo-European root meaning "cold" — the same root that gave German kalt and Swedish kall.

From Old Norse vængr, related to wind through an ancient root meaning "to blow" — a wing being, at root, something that catches the air.

From Old North French carre, ultimately from Latin carrus, a Celtic-derived word for a wheeled cart. "Car" originally meant any wheeled vehicle long before it meant an automobile.

From Latin ritus via Old French and Middle English, essentially unchanged in meaning since Roman times.

From bath + room.

From Old English huniġ, from a Proto-Germanic root, ultimately going back to a Proto-Indo-European word for a golden or yellowish substance.

From Old English beo, tracing back through Proto-Germanic to a very old Proto-Indo-European root simply meaning "bee."

From Old French cosin, ultimately from Latin cōnsobrīnus, meaning a cousin on the mother's side — from con- ("together") plus sobrīnus ("maternal relative").

From Old French nece, ultimately from Latin neptis ("granddaughter"). The Latin word originally covered granddaughters as well as nieces before the meanings split.

From Old French neveu, from Latin nepos ("grandson, descendant"). The modern -ph- spelling arose later from association with the Latin form, which eventually changed the way English speakers pronounced the word.

From Old French ante, going back to Latin amita ("father's sister"). It replaced an older English word for aunt that came from "mother."

From Middle English uncle, via Old French oncle, from Latin avunculus ("maternal uncle," literally "little grandfather").

From "grand-" plus "daughter."

From "grand-" plus "son."

Formed from "grand-" (indicating a generation removed) plus "child."

From Middle English graundmodre, formed from "grand-" plus "mother," replacing the older word "eldmother."

From "grand-" plus "parent."

From Middle English grandfadre, modeled on French grand-père, replacing the older English "eldfather."

From Old English dohtor, an ancient word going all the way back to Proto-Indo-European — related to similar words in German (Tochter), Dutch, and many other Indo-European languages.

From Old English sunu, "son", from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to give birth".

From Old English cild, going back to a very old Germanic word for offspring — it has been part of English since before written records began.

From Old English sweostor, from Proto-Germanic *swestēr, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root for "sister" — one of the oldest and most widely shared words in Indo-European languages.

One of the oldest words in the language, tracing back through Old English brōþor to the ancient Proto-Indo-European word for "brother" — related to similar words in nearly every European and many Asian languages, from German Bruder to Sanskrit bhrātṛ.