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.

Browse etymology by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Recently added

From Middle English grapnel, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French grapil, grapin. Compare modern French grappin.

Borrowed from French guenon (“female monkey or ape”).

From Middle Dutch gulden (“golden”).

From German Heortologie, from Ancient Greek ἑορτή (heortḗ, “festival”) + -ology.

From Havisham + -esque (suffix meaning ‘in the style or manner of’ forming adjectives), after the character Miss Havisham from the novel Great Expectations (1860–1861) by the English author Charles Dickens (1812–1870), a wealthy spinster once jilted at the altar, who lives in a ruined mansion and always wears her wedding dress.

From heart + string.

Morphologically hew + -n.

Ultimately from Ancient Greek ἡγούμενος (hēgoúmenos, “leader”).

From Latin Hesperius + -ian.

From Latin implōrātus + English -atory (suffix forming adjectives of, relating to, or connected with [the specified thing]). Implōrātus is the perfect passive participle of implōrō (“to beseech, entreat, implore; to appeal to, pray to”): see further at implore.

From hot + -ing; see hot (“stolen”), as in hot merchandise.

From Middle English hondwerk, from Old English handweorc (“work done by hand; handiwork”), from Proto-Germanic *handuwerką; equivalent to hand + work. Cognate with Dutch handwerk, German Handwerk, Swedish hantverk.

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἡμέρα (hēméra, “day”).

From Middle English hauser, haucer, from Anglo-Norman haucer, from Vulgar Latin *altiāre (“to raise”), derived from Latin altus (“high”). Altered in English by mistaken association with hawse and perhaps haul. Compare French aussière, haussière.

From gum + shield.

From God + sent.

hispanicization

From Hispanic + -ization.

From Hades + -an, from Ancient Greek ᾍδης (Hāídēs). By surface analysis, had- + -e- + -an.

From green + -ie. Environmentalist sense first attested in Australia in 1973, referring to trade unionists who supported green bans.

From Middle English handly, handliche; equivalent to hand + -ly. Compare German handlich (“handy, manageable”), Swedish handlig (“handy”).

From honey + bunny.

Borrowed from Italian grandioso, from Latin grandis (“great, grand”) (English grand). Doublet of grandiose.

From Ancient Greek ἡβητικός (hēbētikós), equivalent to ἡβητ(ής) (hēbēt(ḗs)) (“adult”; ἡβη- (hēbē-), variant stem of ἡβᾶν (hēbân, “to reach puberty”), verbal derivative of ἥβη (hḗbē, “youth”) + -τής (-tḗs, agent suffix)) + ικός (ikós, “-ic”).