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 terra austrālis incōgnita ("unknown southern land"), popularised by explorer Matthew Flinders in the early 1800s.

From Old French acuser, from Latin accusare, "to call to account," from ad- plus causa, "cause, lawsuit."

First attested in the late 14th century. Inherited from Middle English accusacion, borrowed from Old French acusacion (French: accusation), from Latin accūsātiō (“accusation, indictment”), from accūsō (“blame, accuse”). Doublet of accusatio. More at accuse. Equivalent to accuse + -ation.

* First attested in the 1660s. * accurate + -cy

From Latin accumulare, "to heap up," from ad- ("to") plus cumulus ("a heap") — the same root behind "cumulus" clouds.

From Middle English, from Middle French acuntant. Equivalent to account + -ant. First attested in the mid 15th century.

From account + -ancy.

From account + -able. First attested around 1400.

From smile plus the adjective-forming suffix -y; the noun sense grew out of "smiley face."

From Old English Grēcas ("Greeks"), ultimately from Latin Graecus — the name the Romans used, distinct from the Greeks' own name for themselves, Hellenes.

A clipped form of "biography" (the noun sense) or "biological" (the adjective sense).

From Medieval Latin accessorius, related to accessus (see access) — something that "goes along with" the main thing.

From French accompagnement, built from "accompany" plus the suffix "-ment." First recorded in English in 1744.

From Old French acompagner, "to associate with," built from compaing, "companion" — ultimately from Latin words meaning "one who shares bread" (com- "together" + panis "bread").

From Old French complice, "confederate," from Latin complicare, "to fold together." The initial "a" got stuck onto the word over time, likely by confusion with "accomplish."

From Latin acclamare, "to shout at" or "to cheer," from ad- ("to") plus clamare ("to shout").

From Latin accessus, "an approach," from accedere ("to approach"), built from ad- ("to") plus cedere ("to go, move").

From Latin accentus (see accent) via the verb accentuare, "to add stress or emphasis to."

From Latin accentus, "song added to speech," from ad- ("to") plus canere ("to sing") — literally a "singing toward" a word, referring to spoken stress.

From Old French acomplir, from Vulgar Latin roots meaning "to fill up completely" — related to the English word "complete."

* First attested in the late 15th century, from accomplish + -ed.

From accelerate plus the agent suffix -or, "thing that does."

From Latin acceleratio, "a hastening," from accelerare, "to accelerate."

From Latin accelerare, "to hasten," built from ad- ("to") plus celerare ("to hasten"), from celer, "swift" — the same root as celerity.