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 Middle English hoved, hovyde, from Old English ġehōfod (“hoofed, hooved”), equivalent to hoof + -ed.

From Afrikaans hamerkop, from hamer (“hammer”) + kop (“head”).

The verb was coined by Judith Fetterley in 1978; compare effeminate (verb); contrast emasculate.

From Middle English hirne, herne, from Old English hyrne (“horn, corner, angle”), from Proto-West Germanic *hurnijā, from Proto-Germanic *hurnijǭ (“horn, corner, angle”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂-. Proto-Germanic *hurnijǭ is a diminutive form of *hurną, from which comes English horn. Doublet of hern.

From Middle English greve, from Old English grǣfe, grǣfa (“bush, bramble, grove, thicket, copse, brush-wood (for burning), fuel”). Cognate with Scots greve, greave (“grove”). Compare also Proto-Germanic *grainiz (“twig”), of unknown origin, whence Old Norse grein (“branch, bough”). Closely related to Old English grāf, grāfa (“grove”). See grove.

Borrowed from Latin immātūritātem.

From gravitate + -ive.

From ground + laying (noun).

From Middle English giltles, gultles, gyltles, from Old English *gyltlēas, equivalent to guilt + -less. Compare Old English sċyldlēas (“guiltless”).

From ice + house.

Representing a Cockney pronunciation of God blind me!; traditionally, people would curse using contractions rather than breaking the third commandment (Do not use the Lord's name in vain oaths). Compare strewth, zounds, sblood.

Borrowed from Hindi गप (gap, “gossip; idle talk”).

From Dutch haai (“shark”) or West Flemish haaie (formerly haeye), from the Old Norse hái, a short form of hákarl (“shark”) (a compound of há- (“marks fish of the shark kind”) + karl (“a man”)). The German Hai, the Swedish haj and the Danish haj are from the same source.

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἧτᾰ (hêtă).

From groat + -less.

Borrowed from Late Latin habilitātus, past participle of habilitāre (“to enable”).

From Late Latin hebdomadārius, from hebdomas (“week”).

Blend of howl + hilarious.

From house + made.

From Middle English havour, from Anglo-Norman aveyr, Old French aveir.

From homodox + -y.

From hag + ridden.

Derived from the verb to hallucinate with suffix -naut (voyager, traveller).

From here + unto.