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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 angst + -ful. Compare German angstvoll.

From apert + -ly.

Essentially a re-borrowing of English academy through the phonetic/orthographic systems of Indian languages (particularly Hindi अकादमी (akādmī), Odia ଅକାଦମୀ (akādami) / ଅକାଦେମି (akādemi) / ଆକାଦେମୀ (ākādemi) and Punjabi ਅਕਾਦਮੀ (akādmī).

Partly from French alphabétique and partly from its etymon Latin alphabēticus. By surface analysis, alphabet + -ic.

From Middle English aposteme (“a swelling, inflamation”), from Old French aposteme and Late Latin apostēma, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστημα (apóstēma, “abcesse”) (source of Modern Greek απόστημα (apóstima, “abscess”)), related to ἀποστέλλω (apostéllō, “to remove”).

From an- + ethical.

From ash + can.

From anecdotal + -ist.

Apparently a back-formation from inadvertent, or a learned borrowing from Latin advertent-, advertens, present participle of advertere, from the verb adverto (“to give or draw attention to”)

From aero- + generator.

From Latin Apollō (Apollōn-) + -ian and Apollonius/Apollonia + -an.

From Late Latin Aegīdius, from Ancient Greek Αἰγιδιός (Aigidiós, “kid skin”) (sometimes interpreted as “the protecting”).

From Middle English amblere; equivalent to amble + -er.

From Latin asinārius.

From Middle English aforehande, equivalent to afore- + hand. Compare Scots aforehaund.

From Latin agglomerāt- (past participial stem of agglomerō) + -ive. By surface analysis, agglomerate + -ive.

From Ancient Greek ἀνα- (ana-, “up”) and ὁδός (hodós, “path”), forming the New Greek compound ἄνοδος (ánodos). Coined by English polymath William Whewell in 1834 for Michael Faraday, who introduced it later that year. By surface analysis, an- (“up, forward, away”) + -ode (“way”).

From Middle French antipape (later assimilated to anti- + pope), from Medieval Latin antipāpa.

Borrowed from Scots agley.

From a- + drip.

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀναστροφή (anastrophḗ), from ἀνα- (ana-, “up”) + στρέφω (stréphō, “to turn”).

From ana- (“extracted from anastomosing”) + branch.

Unadapted borrowing from French aplomb (“plumb line”).

From anti- + synergy.