Etymology — The Origins of English Words

From wood + louse.

The verb is from Middle English accustomen, from Old French acoustumer, acustumer (Modern French accoutumer) corresponding to a (“to, toward”) + custom. More at custom, costume. The noun is from Middle English acustom.

From abhor + -ing.

A variant of urban + -ane (a variant of -an (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives)). Urban is borrowed from Middle French urbain (“belonging to a city, urban; courteous, refined, urbane”) (modern French urbain), or from its etymon Latin urbānus (“of or belonging to a city, urban; of manners or style: like those of city dwellers: cultivated, polished, refined, sophisticated”), from urbs (“city; walled town; Rome”) (further etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *gʰerdʰ- (“to encircle, enclose; a belt; an enclosure, fence”) or *werbʰ- (“to enclose”)) + -ānus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives). Compare typologically civil, courteous.

An alteration of visor by confusion of the ending.

From Latin acētum (“vinegar”) + -ous, the former from aceō (“to be sour”).

From un- + observing.

From Middle English wyþdraȝþ, wedraught, etc, equivalent to with- + draught or withdraw + -t (abstract nominal suffix).

Inherited from Middle English abbacyal, derived from Middle French abbatial, derived from Late Latin abbātiāl|is, ~e, from abbā|s, ~tis (“abbot”) + -āl|is, ~e (“-ial”). Doublet of abbot.

From Middle English whitenen, whitnen, from Old Norse hvítna (“to whiten”), from Proto-Germanic *hwītnōną (“to whiten, become white”), from Proto-Indo-European *kwind-, *kwint- (“bright”), equivalent to white + -en. Cognate with Icelandic hvítna (“to whiten”), Swedish vitna, hvitna (“to whiten”), Danish hvidne (“to whiten”). Compare Old English hwītian (“to whiten, become white, be white, make white”).

First attested in 1382, with the meaning "causing stillbirth or miscarriage". From Middle English abortif, from Old French abortif, from Latin abortīvus (“causing abortion”), from aborior (“miscarry, disappear”), from ab (“amiss”) + orior (“appear, be born, arise”).

From Middle French abolissement, from aboliss-, stem of some conjugated forms abolir, equivalent to abolish + -ment.

From a- + diaphanous.

From wake + -ful.

From warrant + -er.

From zoot + -ed.

Formed from vituperātus, perfect passive participle of Latin vituperō (“to blame, to censure”) + -ive; by surface analysis, vituperate + -ive.

From Middle English unsupported, equivalent to un- + supported.

From un- + sanctified.

From Middle English acolite, acolit, from Old French acolyt and Late Latin acolythus, from Ancient Greek ἀκόλουθος (akólouthos, “follower, attendant”).

From zap + -er.

From able + -ism, modelled on racism, sexism, etc.

From Middle English water-syde, water side, equivalent to water + -side.

First attested in 1494. From Middle English abrygement, from Middle French abrégement. Equivalent to abridge + -ment.