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 Latin animadvertō, from Latin animum (“mind”) (accusative singular of animus (“mind; soul; life force”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁mos (“breath”), from *h₂enh₁- (“to breathe”)) + Latin advertō (“to turn to”) (from Latin ad- (“to”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd (“at; near”) + Latin vertō (“to turn”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wert- (“to turn around”)).

From a- + gee. A preposition of state + gee (“to move to one side”), from gee or jee, a call to a horse to move to one side.

Learned borrowing from Latin agitātrīx, feminine of agitātor. By surface analysis, agitate + -trix.

From ambi- + -sexual; in modern senses relating to human sexuality, influenced by bisexual.

From applesauce + -y.

From anti- + pattern, coined by Andrew Koenig in 1995.

From Portuguese arrátel, from Andalusian Arabic الرَطْل (“rottol”), from Arabic الرَطْل (ar-raṭl), from Aramaic רִיטְלָא / ܪܺܝܛܠܳܐ (rīṭlā), variant of לִיטְרָא / ܠܺܝܛܪܳܐ (līṭrā), from Ancient Greek λίτρα (lítra, “libra, Roman pound”). Doublet of libbra, Libra, libra, lira, litra, litre, livre, and rottol.

From Latin algebraicus + -al or algebra + -ical.

From Latin amplector.

From after + world.

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀνάστασις (anástasis, “resurrection”).

Late Middle English, back-formation from alps pl, via French from Latin Alpes (“high mountains, especially those of Switzerland”). Compare Old Saxon elbon (“Alps”), Old High German Alpūn (“Alps”); Old High German alba (“alp, mountain”)).

From anchor(man) + -woman.

From Ancient Greek ἄγγελος (ángelos). Doublet of Angel.

An unadapted borrowing from French arbitrage, from arbitrer (“to arbitrate”); see arbitrate.

archangelically

From archangelical + -ly.

From Latin agitāns, present participle of agitō (“to shake, brandish, agitate”); equivalent to agitate + -ant.

Learned borrowing from taxonomic name Artiodactyla, from Ancient Greek ἄρτιος (ártios, “even”) + δάκτυλος (dáktulos, “finger, toe”).

Alteration (after headlong) of arseling, from Middle English *arsling, from Old English earsling (“backwards, on the back”), equivalent to arse + -ling. Cognate with Dutch aarzeling, aarzelings, German ärschling, ärschlings.

From Latin archangelicus. By surface analysis, arch- + angelic or archangel + -ic.

Borrowed from Arabic عَدُوّ الله (ʕaduww allāh).

From a- + rational.

From Latin adscitus, from past participle of adscisco (“admit”).