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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Shitgibbon compound of ass + faggot.

From apology + -ist, from French apologiste.

From the Postal Romanization of Hokkien 廈門 /厦门 (Ēe-mûi), specifically the Zhangzhou Hokkien dialect. Compare Spanish Emuy.

Derived from Scottish Gaelic Arainn, but the name is ultimately probably of non-Indo-European (substrate) or Pictish origin, along with other uncertain names in Scotland such as Skye, Lewis, and Islay. Possibly from a Brythonic/Pictish term ancestral or cognate to Middle Welsh aran (“"high place"”).

From appendic- + -ectomy.

From Hebrew יַעֲקֹב.

From Portuguese ama (“female nurse”), from Medieval Latin amma (“wet nurse, amma”), perhaps an alteration of Latin mamma, of imitative origin, or from Ancient Greek.

From anti- + community.

Unknown. Possibly from Middle English askances (“as if”), or from Old French a escone (“hidden”) or Italian a scancio (“obliquely”). Compare asquint, Middle English askoyn (“at a slant, askance”), Dutch schuin, schuins (“sideways”), schuiven (“to shove”), schuinte (“slope”).

From arch- + fiend. Compare German Erzfeind, Dutch aartsvijand.

From Ancient Greek ἀναγραμματίζω (anagrammatízō).

Borrowed from Latin anima (“a current of air, wind, air, breath, the vital principle, life, soul”), sometimes equivalent to animus (“mind”), both from Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁- (“to breathe, blow”); see animus. Cognate with Ancient Greek ἄνεμος (ánemos, “wind”), Old English anda (“anger, envy, zeal”). More at onde.

Modern variant of Alana, the feminine form of Alan. Also associated with the affectionate Anglo-Irish term of address alanna (“child”). The spelling is influenced by names of Hebrew origin such as Hannah and Susannah.

From agitation + -al.

From French amputée, (past participle of amputer (“to amputate”)), from Latin amputatus, perfect passive participle of amputare (“to amputate”).

From anti- + capitalist.

From Middle English agast, agasted, past participle of agasten (“to terrify”), from Old English a- (compare with Gothic 𐌿𐍃- (us-), German er-, originally meaning "out") + gæstan (“to terrify, torment”): compare Gothic 𐌿𐍃𐌲𐌰𐌹𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (usgaisjan, “to terrify”, literally “to fix, to root to the spot with terror”); akin to Latin haerere (“to stick fast, cling”). By surface analysis, a- + ghast/gast. See gaze.

From anti- + model.

Borrowed from French archimandrite, from Latin archimandrīta, from late Ancient Greek ἀρχιμανδρίτης (arkhimandrítēs), from ἀρχι- (arkhi-, “highest”) + μάνδρα (mándra, “enclosure, cloister, monastery”) + -ῑ́της (-ī́tēs, “member of”).

From Old French amphibolie, from Latin amphibolia, from Ancient Greek ἀμφιβολία (amphibolía, “ambiguity”).

From Italian ananas, from French ananas, from Spanish ananás, from Portuguese ananás, adapted from Old Tupi naná (“pineapple”).

antinationalism

From anti- + nationalism.

From air + headed; compare empty-headed.

From French Artagnan, from Latin Artanius, from Transalpine Gaulish artos (“ursine bear”)+-anum.