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

Attested since 1863.

From even + handed. First attested in c. 1600.

From exhibition + -er.

From elfish + -ness.

From Middle English Duchelond (“Germany”), from Middle Dutch duutsche land or from late Middle High German diutschland, both equivalent to Dutch + -land. Cognate with West Frisian Dútslân (“Germany”), Dutch Duitsland (“Germany”), German Deutschland (“Germany”), Swedish Tyskland (“Germany”), Icelandic Þýskaland (“Germany”).

Borrowed from Middle French effuser, from Latin effusus, past participle of effundere (“to pour out”).

From evitable + -ly.

From epoch + -less.

From felicitate + -or.

Borrowed from Latin aestuātus, past participial of aestuō (“to be in violent motion, to boil up, burn”), from aestus (“boiling or undulating motion, fire, glow, heat”).

From Middle English enwrappen, inwrappen (“to wrap in”), equivalent to en- + wrap. Compare also Middle English inwlappen (See lap, “to enwrap”). More at en-, wrap. Cognate via Old French with envelop, envelope. Doublet of envelop.

Formed from eulogy by replacing eu- with dys-.

excrementitious

Adapted borrowing of New Latin excrēmentītius + -ous. By surface analysis, excrement + -itious.

From a Middle English diminutive of the given name Isabel.

French estacade; compare Italian steccata, Spanish estacada, and English stake.

From error + -ful.

Genericized trademark; the trademark was From ebony + -ite.

Variant of Estes.

From en- + clasp.

From Middle English felefold, felefolde (“multiple, many; varied, diverse”), from Old English felafeald, felefeald (“manifold, many times over”), equivalent to fele (“many”) + -fold. Compare Dutch veelvoud, German Vielfalt.

From Middle English etlien, atlien, from Old Norse ætla (“to think, mean, suppose, intend, purpose”), from Proto-Germanic *ahtalōną (“to strive, think”), from Proto-Indo-European *ok- (“to think, intend, purpose”). Cognate with regional Swedish ättla (“to count, reckon”). Some Middle English forms perhaps remodelled after Old English eaht.

From earth + -scraper.

Compare fiddle, fiddle-faddle.

efficaciousness

From efficacious + -ness.