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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An initialism of what's up.

An initialism of what's good.

An initialism of women loving women.

An initialism of work in progress.

Representing well pronounced with the mouth snapped closed at the end. Compare yep, yup, nope, and ope.

A blend of web and seminar.

From Middle English wederyng, equivalent to weather + -ing.

An initialism of what do you mean.

An abbreviation of water closet, the Victorian term for a flushing lavatory.

An initialism of what about you.

In the slang sense, an initialism of a crude phrase for female arousal; in computing, an initialism of Wireless Application Protocol.

A borrowing of German Wanderlust, from wandern "to hike, ramble" and Lust "desire".

From Anglo-Norman French waif "ownerless property, stray", originally a legal term for goods abandoned by a thief in flight.

From Latin volatilis "flying, fleeting", from volare "to fly".

From French voilà, literally "see there", from vois (see) plus là (there).

From Latin viscosus "sticky", from viscum, the sticky birdlime made from mistletoe berries.

An initialism of very important person.

From Latin vigor 'liveliness, activity', from vigere 'to be lively or flourish'.

Latin, literally 'the position having been turned', from vicis 'position, turn' and versus, past participle of vertere 'to turn'.

From Latin vicarius 'substitute, deputy', from vicis 'a turn, a change'.

From Latin vertex 'whirl, crown of the head, highest point', from vertere 'to turn'.

From French verbiage, from Old French verbier 'to chatter', ultimately related to Latin verbum 'word'.

Spanish, first-person plural of ir 'to go', meaning 'we go' or 'let's go'.

From Latin valentia 'strength, capacity', from valere 'to be strong'.