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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Inherited from Middle English unshod, unschod from Old English unsċōd, equivalent to un- + shod.

From Armenian Վահան (Vahan).

From vapor + -like.

Back-formation from upholsterer (“tradesman who finishes furniture”), from Middle English upholdester, variant of Middle English upholder (“dealer in small goods”), from upholden (“to repair, uphold”); equivalent to uphold + -ster. Sense development as well as form may have been influenced by conflation with unrelated bolster.

From viscero- + -megaly.

From Middle English victoriously, vittoryously; equivalent to victorious + -ly.

From un- + furnish.

From vault + -ful.

From un- + injured.

a 1650 vexation + -ous

From wallop + -er.

From Middle English weie, waie, weihe, wæȝe, from Old English wǣġ (“a weight; a tool for weighing, balance, scale”), from Proto-West Germanic *wāgu, from Proto-Germanic *wēgō (“scales; weight”), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- (“to move, bring, transport”). Cognate with German Waage (“weight”), Icelandic vág (“a weight”).

From un- + enlightened.

From un- + powered.

From Middle French votif, from Latin vōtīvus (“votive”), from vōtum (“vow”).

From verity + -ably.

From Old English wæsċhūs, equivalent to wash + house.

From Middle English victrice, from Latin victrīx.

From view + -less.

From unitar(y) + -ism. By surface analysis, unit + -arism.

From un- + staffed.

From Latin vōcifer + -ous.

From vagina + -oid (“resembling”).