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 French glic, from Old French glic (“a game of cards”), of Germanic origin from or related to Middle High German glücke, gelücke (“luck”) and Middle Dutch gelīc (“like, alike”). More at luck, like.

From Dutch gek or Low German geck, from an imitative verb found in North Sea Germanic and Scandinavian/North Germanic meaning "to croak, cackle," and also "to mock, cheat" (Dutch gekken, German gecken, Danish gjække, Swedish gäcka).

From gain- + stay (“to stand”). Compare gainstand.

From fundamental + -ism. First used in the 1910s by American Christians.

From an alteration (possibly Scots) of glore, from Middle English glōren, glouren (“to gleam; to glare, glower”); or from glow (“to stare”) (obsolete), and ultimately from a Scandinavian (North Germanic) language. Cognate with Low German gloren (“to flicker; to glimmer”), Dutch gloren, Icelandic glóra. By surface analysis, glow + -er (fossilized frequentative suffix). See more at glare.

From frivol(ous) + -osity.

From Latin geniālitās, and perhaps also partly formed within English as genial + -ity.

From Latin Gallovidia (“Galloway”), from Cumbric/Welsh Gallgwyddel.

From gender + -ism.

Borrowed from French giaour, from Ottoman Turkish كاور (gâvur), from Classical Persian گَاوُر (gāwur), a variant of گَبْر (gabr, “infidel”); see there for more. Doublet of Gheber and Gueber.

From Middle English fusty, equivalent to fust + -y. Compare Scots foosty.

From Middle English gimlet etc., from Old French guinbelet, guimbelet, guibelet, probably a diminutive of the Anglo-Norman wimble, a variation of guimble (“drill”), from the Middle Low German wiemel; continued in Modern French as gibelet. Cocktail either named after the tool, in reference to its penetrating effects, or British Navy surgeon Thomas Gimlette (1857–1943).

From Middle English glisteren, either borrowed from or related to Middle Low German and/or Middle Dutch glisteren; like a host of other Germanic words in gl- related to shining, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰley-.

From fringe + -ie.

Borrowed from Latin gesticulātus, perfect active participle of gesticulor (“to gesticulate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from gesticulus (“a mimic gesture”), diminutive of gestus (“gesture”), from gerō (“to bear, carry, perform”).

From Ancient Greek γλῶσσα (glôssa, “tongue; language”) + -ology.

From Middle English gainsayen, ȝeinseggen (“to say against, say in opposition to”), equivalent to gain- + say. Compare Old Danish gensige (“to speak against; gainsay”), Swedish gensaga (“a speaking against; protest”).

First attested in a memo by US Representative (Texas) Maury Maverick dated March 30, 1944, banning "gobbledygook language". Apparently coined in imitation of the sounds made by a turkey.

Borrowed from Japanese 擬人化 (“personification”).

From glee + -some. Compare Yola gleezom (“joy”).

Onomatopoeic; similar to glop or goop.

From gelatine + -ous; probably modeled on French gélatineux.

From Middle English glandres, glaundres, from Old French glandres, plural of Old French glandre, from Latin glandula. Doublet of glandule.

From Middle English glorificacion, glorificacioun, from Middle French glorification and its etymon Latin glōrificātiō. By surface analysis, glorify + -ication.