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 diker (“measure of ten”), from Late Latin dacra (“a dicker”), from Latin decuria (“a ten of something”), from decem (“ten”).

From Ancient Greek δάκτυλος (dáktulos, “finger”), equivalent to dactyl- + -y.

From cullion + -ly.

From de- + van?

From deca- + -gon.

From criminal + -ism.

From crystal + -ize. The double l reflects the classical stem found in its etyma, Latin crystallus and Ancient Greek κρύσταλλος (krústallos), rather than the simplified spelling of the English base noun. Compare Hellenistic Greek κρυσταλλίζειν (krustallízein, “to shine like crystal”), post‐classical Latin crystallizare (“to change into crystal”), and French cristalliser.

From deal + -y.

From crystal + -ise.

Blend of cybernetic + man, analyzable as cyber- + man. Originally a race of extraterrestrial enemies in the long-running British television series Doctor Who, first appearing in the 1966 serial The Tenth Planet.

Borrowed from Hindustani डाक / ڈاک (ḍāk).

From deductive + -ism.

From cum + stain.

From deca- + -adic.

From crossbench + -er.

From cross- + piece.

Borrowed from French découpage, from découper (“to cut up”).

From Latin detorqueo.

From descriptive + -ism. * Audio (Southern England): (file)

From deci- + grade.

From Middle English debylite, from Old French debilité (French débilité), from Latin dēbilitās (“weakness”), from dēbilis (“weak”), from dē- + habilis (“able”).

From Old French desparpeillier.

From Middle English, from Old French desirrous, from desirrer + -ous.

From decipher + -er.