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 English daf, daffe (“fool, idiot”), from Old Norse daufr (“deaf, stupid”), from Proto-Germanic *daubaz (“deaf, stunned”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (“to whisk, whirl, smoke, be obscure”). Doublet of deaf, dof, and dowf. Cognate with Swedish döv (“deaf”), Danish døv (“deaf, stupid”). More at deaf.

From deer + flesh.

From dead + stock.

Inherited from Middle English dekenesse; equivalent to deacon + -ess.

From Denis + -son.

From dam + buster.

From crap + flood.

First attested in the 1530s, in the sense “to lop off”; borrowed from Medieval Latin dēfalcātus, perfect passive participle of dēfalcō (“to cut or lop off”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from Latin dē (“off”) + falx (“sickle, scythe, pruning hook”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix).

From de- + consolidate.

Inherited from Middle English credulite (“faith, belief”), borrowed from Middle French credulité (French crédulité), from Latin crēdulitās. Corresponding to credulous + -ity (compare credulosity).

From daddock + -y.

From curv(e) + -aceous. Originally American English. First attested in the 1930s.

Borrowed from Middle French détracter, from Latin detractum, past participle of detraho.

From date + book.

From dec- + athlete.

From French dépilatoire.

The adjective is first attested in the first part of the 15th century, the verb in 1490, both in Middle English; borrowed from Latin dēstinātus, perfect passive participle of dēstinō, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (verb-forming suffix); doublet of destine. Computing/postal use by analogy with originate. Participial usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English.

Initialism of diesel engine road vehicle.

From dawdle + -er.

From crap + hole.

Morphologically desirable + -ity and desire + -ability.

From delirium + Latin faciens, facientis, present participle of facere (“to make”).

From de- + installation.

From Latin deterior (“worse”). See deteriorate.