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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20th-century invention, shortened from Skyler.

From under- + time.

From spy + glass.

From Latin susurratio.

From un- + combinable.

From total, the reduplicated tee acts as an intensifier, hence T-total. First use appears in 1834.

From street + walker.

From Middle French ombrageux, or from umbrage + -ous.

From un- + challenging.

From Middle English schapen, ischepen, from Old English ġesċapen, from Proto-Germanic *skapanaz, past participle of Proto-Germanic *skapaną, equivalent to shape + -en (past participle ending).

From un- + ceasing.

From Old French trebuchet, trebuket et al. (modern trébuchet), from trebuchier (“to overthrow, topple”), from tres- + *buchier, from Old French buc (“trunk of the body”), from Old Frankish *būk (“belly, trunk, torso”), from Proto-Germanic *būkaz (“belly, abdomen, trunk”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰōw- (“to blow, swell”). Cognate with Old High German būh (“belly”), Old English būc (“belly, trunk”). More at bouk.

From Latin superfluxus, from superfluō (“overflow”).

From solid + -ity, from Middle French solidité, from Latin soliditās.

From shout + -er.

From style + -er.

From tran- (“through”) + sudare (“to sweat”).

From Middle English unclothen, equivalent to un- + clothe.

From a dialectal English word, from Middle English swot, swat, from Old English swāt (“perspiration; sweat”), from Proto-Germanic *swaitą (“sweat”). More at sweat.

Latin tumultuārius: compare French tumultuaire.

From toff + -y.

Borrowed from Latin tympanum (“a drum, timbrel, tambourine; the eardrum”). Doublet of timbre, timpani, timbal, and tymbal.

Latin subsidens, subsidentis, present participle of subsidere. Equivalent to subside + -ence.

From Middle English songster, sangester, sangstere, from Old English sangestre (“a female singer; songstress”), equivalent to song + -ster. Cognate with Scots sangstar (“singer; songster”). Compare also West Frisian sjongster (“singer; female singer; vocalist”).