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 ensuing + -ly.

From Latin ēveniō (“happen, fall out, come out”), from ē (“out of, from”) (short form of ex) + veniō (“come”).

Minced oath of motherfucker based on the names of the initial letters of its elements, equivalent to the phonetic respelling of the initialism MF. First attested in the 1960s.

Mid-16th century from Latin extrūdere, from ex- (“out”) + trūdere (“to thrust”).

Borrowed from Latin extēnsibilis, from extendō (“to extend”).

From erroneous + -ity.

From evil + doing.

From exhausted + -ness.

Deverbal from fall off.

From Latin extra (“out-”) + Latin vas (“vessel”) + -ate (noun-forming suffix)

From Latin epitomator (“epitomizer”), from epitomātus (“epitomized”) + -or (“-er: forming agent nouns”). Equivalent to epitome + -ator or epitomate + -or.

From edifying + -ness.

Combination of eco- (“ecology”) + -tone, from the Greek τόνος (tónos, “tension”).

Borrowed from Spanish empanada, past participle of empanar (“to wrap in bread”).

From dyspnea + -ic.

The term "exergy" was coined in 1956 by Zoran Rant (1904–1972) from Ancient Greek ἐξ (ex, “out of, away from”) + ἔργον (érgon, “work”).

From Latin effluxus, from effluō (“flow out or away”), from ex (“out of, from”) + fluō (“flow”). See also effluxion.

From Hebrew איתן.

Variant of Elwood.

From ego- + -centrism.

Named after William H. A. Feilding.

Name of an early Christian martyr, from Ancient Greek Εὐφημία (Euphēmía), from εὐ- (eu-, “good”) + φήμη (phḗmē, “repute”) + -ίᾱ (-íā).

From dys- + junction.