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 beclippen, from Old English beclyppan (“to clip, clasp, embrace, enfold”), from Proto-Germanic *bi- (“be-”) + *klumpijaną (“to hold, clench”), from Proto-Indo-European *glemb-, *glembʰ- (“to hold, clench”), equivalent to be- + clip. Compare also Middle English umbeclippen (“to embrace”). See also umbeclip.

From Middle English beatitude, beatytude, from Middle French béatitude, from Latin beātitūdō (“happiness, blessedness”), from beātus (“happy, blessed”).

From backwoods + man.

Borrowed from Italian bandito. Doublet of bandit.

Blend of bandeau + bikini.

From be- + ray (“to defile”), from Middle English rayen, an aphetic form of array.

From bare + skin.

From Middle English bage-ful, bage full, baggeful, bagg-ful; equivalent to bag + -ful.

From Spanish bandoneón, from German Bandoneon, named after Heinrich Band.

From the clipping of Barbara + -y.

From Anglo-Norman ataindre ("to reach"), with infinitives used as nouns being frequent in Law French. Doublet of attain and attinge.

From back + field.

From Ancient Greek ἀθανασία (athanasía, “immortality”).

From back + slide.

From beard + fish, because of its barbels.

From Middle English aweles; by surface analysis, awe + -less.

Borrowing from New Latin basilāris, irregularly from basis (“a pedestal, foot, base”) + -āris (“-ar, -ary”, adjectival suffix); or from French basilaire, from base (“base, basis”) + -aire (“-ar, -ary”, adjectival suffix), in the pattern of cimbalaire (“cymbal-shaped”).

From bald + head.

Borrowed from Russian атама́н (atamán).

From atheist + -ical. Attested earlier than atheistic.

From back + block.

From Old French bailis, inflection of bailif (“bailiff, officer in a court of law”).

From Bernie + -er. Named after American politician Bernie Sanders.

From Middle English biclarten, equivalent to be- + clart. Cognate with Scots beclairt (“to soil, splash or cover with filth”).