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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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enemyship
Origin
From enemy + -ship.
disjunction
Origin
From Old French disjunction, from Latin disiunctiō.
firewater
Origin
A calque of a Native American language term, probably Ojibwe ishkodewaaboo (“alcohol”), from ishkodew- (“fire”) + -aaboo (“liquid”, glossed in older works as “water”). A number of other Algonquian, Siouan and Athabaskan languages also refer to whiskey with compounds that mean "fire-water" (on which basis noted Algonquianist Leonard Bloomfield even reconstructed a Proto-Algonquian word for it, *eškwete·wa·po·wi, although this cannot have existed). The motivation of the name is not entirely clear: It may refer to the “burning” feeling of ingesting high-proof alcohol, or to its flammability; alternatively, it may refer to how low-quality spirits also often included ingredients such as pepper, which burned. Non-alcohol-related senses are simply fire + water.
explication
Origin
Borrowed from Middle French explication and its etymon Latin explicātiō, explicātiōnem. By surface analysis, explicate + -ion.
carafe
Origin
First attested 1786, from French carafe, from Italian caraffa, probably from Arabic غُرْفَة (ḡurfa, “cup or dipper”), from غَرَفَ (ḡarafa, “to ladle”). Doublet of carboy.
deployment
Origin
From French déploiement. Also de- + ployment.
evangel
Origin
From Middle English evaungel, evangile, from Old French evangile, from Late Latin evangelium, from Ancient Greek εὐαγγέλιον (euangélion, “good news”), from εὐάγγελος (euángelos, “bringing good news”), from εὐ- (eu-, “well”) + ἀγγέλλειν (angéllein, “to announce”) (English angel). The word gospel is from the same Ancient Greek origin, also meaning “good news”, but translated into Latin, then calqued into Old English.
beaner
Origin
From bean + -er. Literally "a person who eats beans", since beans are a staple of Mexican cuisine, and eaten in Boston as Boston baked beans.
avowed
Origin
From avow + -ed.
disparagement
Origin
From Old French desparagement.
bobbin
Origin
Borrowed from French bobine, recorded in English since 1530.
bedaze
Origin
From Middle English *bedasen (found in past participle bedased, bedasyd (“dazed, dizzy”)), equivalent to be- + daze.
deprecate
Origin
Borrowed from Latin dēprecātus, perfect active participle of dēprecor (“to pray against (a present or impending evil) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), pray for, intercede for (that which is in danger), rarely imprecate”), from dē- (“off”) + precor (“to pray”).
discerp
Origin
From Latin discerpō, from dis- + carpō (“to pluck”).
chokey
Origin
Borrowed from Hindi चौकी (caukī) and Urdu چَوکی (caukī, “post, police station, etc.”).
baffle
Origin
The origin of the verb is uncertain; it is possibly: * from French bafouer, baffoüer (“to abuse, revile; to confuse, baffle; to deceive; to flout; to scorn”), imitative of someone making a disdainful sound by expelling air quickly through pouted lips (compare Occitan baf (interjection expressing disdain)); or * from French befer, beffer, beffler (“(obsolete) to deceive; to mock, ridicule”) (compare Old French befe, beffe, buffe (“deception; mockery”); beferie (“deceit; quibbling”)), possibly from bafouer: see above. The noun is derived from the verb. Cognates * Italian beffare (“(verb) to deride, mock”), beffa (“(noun) banter; mockery”) * Occitan bafar (“(verb) to deride, mock”), bafa (“(noun) banter; mockery”) * Old Spanish bafa (modern Spanish befa (“(noun) banter; mockery”)) * Spanish befar (“(verb) to deride, mock”)
execration
Origin
From Latin execrātiō.
benignant
Origin
From benign + -ant, on the model of malignant.
bacchanal
Origin
From Latin Bacchānālis (“of or pertaining to Bacchus”). See Bacchanalia.
englut
Origin
Partly from Old French englotir, partly from en- + glut.
bield
Origin
From Middle English belde, beeld, beld, from Old English bieldu (“courage, boldness”), from Proto-Germanic *balþį̄ (“boldness”), from *balþaz (“bold”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to inflate, swell”). Cognate with Old High German baldī (“boldness, courage”) (Middle High German belde), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐌸𐌴𐌹 (balþei, “boldness, courage”). More at bold.
enceinte
Origin
Borrowed from French enceinte.
bucolic
Origin
PIE word *gʷṓws Borrowed from Latin būcolicus, from Ancient Greek βουκολικός (boukolikós, “rustic, pastoral; meter used by pastoral poets”, literally “pertaining to cowherds”).
gaud
Origin
From Middle English gaude, gawde (“jest, prank, trick; ornamental bead in a rosary, trinket, bauble”). Compare Middle English gaudy, gaudee, of the same meaning.