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 Middle English pomposite (“solemnity”), from Latin pompōsitās. By surface analysis, pomp + -osity.

From iniquity + -ous (suffix forming adjectives indicating the presence of a quality in any degree (typically an abundance)).

From race + course.

From patron + -ise.

From French râle (“groan”).

Genericized trademark of Launderette; originally a proprietary name (1940s) of Bendix corporation, from launder + -ette.

From neo- + plasm, after German Neoplasma.

Probably an affectionate alteration of mama or reduplication of mother.

From Old French querelos, from Late Latin querulōsus, from Latin querulus, from queror (“to complain”).

From Middle English lank, from Old English hlanc, from Proto-West Germanic *hlank, from Proto-Germanic *hlankaz (“lank, thin”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleng- (“to bend, turn, wind, twist”); compare German lenken (“to turn”), Gelenk (“joint”), Old High German hlanca (“hip, side, flank”), and English link (of a chain).

irreprehensible

From Latin irreprehēnsibilis. Compare French irrépréhensible. See reprehensible.

From modern Latin malaris, from Latin mala (“jaw, cheek-bone”).

The verb is derived from Late Middle English *jouncen (“to jolt violently”) (evidenced by jouncinge (“violent jolting movement”)); further etymology unknown, possibly imitative. The noun is probably derived from the verb as it is attested later.

From neuro- + right.

From Anglo-Norman and Old French prononcement. By surface analysis, pronounce + -ment. Doublet of pronunciamento.

Borrowed from Latin recūsans, recūsāntis, from recūsō (“to refuse, decline; to object to; to protest”). See recuse.

From herd + -s- + -man.

1670-80. Probably back-formation from motley.

First attested 1940, from American Spanish machismo, from Spanish macho (“male”), + suffix -ismo (“-ism”).

Learned borrowing from Late Latin pleonasmus, from Ancient Greek πλεονασμός (pleonasmós), from πλεονάζω (pleonázō, “to be superfluous”), from πλείων (pleíōn, “more”).

From placid + -ity, from Latin placiditās (“mildness, placidity”).

From jolt + -y.

From French rationaliser. By surface analysis, rational + -ise.

Borrowed from Arabic نَسْنَاس (nasnās).