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 fore- + ordination.

From fore- + shock.

From Middle English forwirken, forwerken, forwurchen, from Old English forwyrċan (“to do wrong, sin; ruin, undo, destroy; condemn, convict, curse; forfeit; barricade, obstruct, close up”), from Proto-Germanic *frawurkijaną, equivalent to for- + work. Cognate with Dutch verwerken (“to digest, assimilate, work up, put into action”), German verwirken (“to forfeit”), Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽 (frawaurkjan).

From Middle English forshapen, forschapen (“to transform”), from Old English forsċieppan, forsċeppan (“to transform”), from Proto-West Germanic *fraskappjan, equivalent to for- + shape. Cognate with German verschaffen (“to provide, supply, furnish”), Swedish förskapa (“to cut out”).

From folk + -ish. (Compare Old English folcisc, and German völkisch.)

From Latin ferīnus, from fera (“wild animal”). The zoological sense was coined by William Whewell in 1840.

From film + -dom.

From Middle English forbode, forbod, from Old English forbod (“a forbidding, prohibition”), from Proto-Germanic *frabudą (“prohibition”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewdʰ- (“to be awake, fully perceive”), equivalent to for- + bode. Cognate with Dutch verbod, German Verbot, Danish forbud, Swedish förbud. More at forbid.

From foot + stone.

From Middle French festal, from Latin festum (“feast”).

From Middle English forganger, forgangere, from Old English *foregangere, from foregangan (“to go before, precede, go in front of, project, excel”), equivalent to fore- + ganger. Cognate with Scots foregangare (“a foregoer”), Dutch voorganger (“a predecessor, progenitor”), German Vorgänger (“a predecessor, precursor”), Swedish föregångare (“a forerunner, precursor, progenitor”).

From fly + speck.

From Middle English firdrake, from Old English fȳrdraca (“fire-spewing dragon”), equivalent to fire + drake.

From Middle English foreseing, forseying, equivalent to foresee + -ing.

From Middle English *foreday (attested only in plural foredais), equivalent to fore- + day.

From ferry + boat.

From foot + bag, by analogy with football.

From forest + land.

First attested in the 1930s, of uncertain origin. Perhaps related to French fanfaron (“boasting”).

From folk + way.

From Middle English *fyrebath, from Old English fȳrbæþ (“fire-bath”), equivalent to fire + bath.

From ferrite + -ic.

From Fitz- + William.

From flavor + -some.