Etymology — The Origins of English Words

From the Latin Aetna, perhaps via the Italian Etna. From either Ancient Greek Αἴτνη (Aítnē, “Aetna”) or αἴθω (aíthō, “to burn”), or from a Sicanian dialect Italic base *aið-na (“fiery one”), all from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eydʰ- (“burn; fire”). Doublet of Aetna.

From Middle English clete, from Old English *clēat (“block, wedge”), from Proto-West Germanic *klaut, from Proto-Germanic *klautaz (“firm lump”), from Proto-Indo-European *gelewd-, from *gley- (“to glue, stick together, form into a ball”). Cognate with Dutch kloot (“ball; testicle”) and German Kloß (“clump”). See also clay and clout.

From Middle English frigiditee, frigidite, a borrowing from Middle French frigidité, itself a borrowing from Latin frīgiditātem, accusative of Latin frīgiditās.

From Middle English doutelesly, dowtelesly, equivalent to doubtless + -ly.

From Middle English yvel doer; equivalent to evil + doer.

First attested in 1590s (as colloguing), presumably from colleague (“to associate”) and French colloque (“secret meeting”), from Latin colloquium (English colloquy), possibly influenced by dialogue. Ultimately from Latin collega (“a partner in office”) + Ancient Greek λόγος (lógos, “speech; oration; discourse”), perhaps partly via Latin loquor (“to speak”).

Borrowed from Latin cursor (“runner”), from currō (“run”) + -or (agentive suffix). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European.

From Tamil குருந்தம் (kuruntam, “ruby, sapphire”) First attested in the early 18th century.

From Middle English comunalte, communalte, from Old French comunalté, comunauté (modern communauté), probably from an alteration of communité, from Latin commūnitās. Some senses are influenced by commonality.

From Middle French élaboration. Morphologically elaborate + -ion.

Inherited from Middle English depreciaten, borrowed from Late Latin dēpretiātus / dēpreciātus, perfect passive participle of dēpretiō / dēpreciō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dē- + pretium (“price”) + -ō.

First attested 1607; from Middle French concomitant, from Latin concomitāns, the present participle of concomitor (“to accompany”), from con- (“together”) + comitor (“to accompany”), from comes (“companion”).

From Middle English espiaille, from Old French espier (“to watch”).

From Middle English glotenose, glotenouse, glotonos, glotonous, glotounius, glotynous, from Middle French glotonos; equivalent to glutton + -ous.

From back + cloth.

From earlier cobylle nut; see cobble, nut.

From Middle English enviroun (“round about in a circle or ring; all around”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman enviroun, environ [and other forms], and Middle French enviroun, environ [and other forms], from Old French environ (“around, surrounding; about, approximately, roughly”) (modern French environ), from en- (prefix meaning ‘in; into’) + viron (“circuit; circumference, compass; country round about”) (though first attested later) (from virer (“to bear, turn, veer”) (either from Latin gȳrō (“to turn in a circle, rotate; to circle, revolve around”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gew- (“to bend, curve; an arch, vault”)), or from Latin vibrō (“to hurl, launch; shake; to tremble, vibrate”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyb-, *weyp- (“to shake; to tremble; to sway, swing; to rotate, turn, wind, wrap (around)”))) + -on (augmentative suffix)). Cognates * Catalan enviró, environ (both obsolete) * Occitan environ * Spanish environ (obsolete)

From cyclo- + -rama (as in panorama).

From Italian Ginevra. Doublet of Jennifer.

From eaves + drip.

From Middle English cruddi, equivalent to crud + -y.

First attested in 1570; borrowed from Latin cōgitātus, perfect passive participle of cōgitō (“to think”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

From Anglo-Norman entitler, from Old French entiteler, (French intituler), from Late Latin intitulāre.

From Middle English besegen, bisegen, equivalent to be- (“around, about”) + siege.