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.

Browse etymology by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Recently added

From Old English teogotha, meaning 'tenth'.

From thrift store, itself from thrift in the sense of careful management of money.

Generally explained as an initialism of 'that ho over there', though the derivation is not firmly documented.

A compound of trap and the slang sense of thirsty, meaning desperate for attention or sex.

From Latin thesaurus 'treasure, treasury, storehouse', from Greek thesauros.

From Greek theos 'god' and -kratia 'rule, power'.

From Greek theos 'god', plus the suffix -ist.

From Greek theatron 'a place for viewing', from theasthai 'to behold', via Latin theatrum and Old French theatre.

An initialism of 'thank God it's Friday'.

An initialism of 'that feeling when', also read as 'that feel when'.

From Latin tertiarius 'of or containing a third part', from tertius 'third'.

From Latin tenet 'he holds', from tenere 'to hold'.

From French tenable, from tenir 'to hold', from Latin tenere 'to hold'.

From total, with the initial t reduplicated for emphasis (tee-total), a formation that arose in the temperance movement of the early 19th century.

Spanish and Portuguese, inherited from Latin te amo, 'I love you', through ordinary sound change rather than borrowed from it: te 'you' plus amo, the first-person present of amare, 'to love'.

An initialism of "to be honest".

An initialism of "to be determined", also read as "to be decided".

An initialism of "to be announced".

From Greek taxis "arrangement, order" and -nomia "method, law", coined in the nineteenth century for biological classification.

From Greek tautologia, from tauto "the same" and logos "word, saying".

From Latin taciturnus "not talkative", from tacitus "silent", from tacere "to be silent".

From Latin tacitus "silent, passed over in silence", the past participle of tacere "to be silent".

From Old French surcharger "to overload", from sur- "over" and chargier "to load".

From Latin supplicatio, from supplicare "to plead humbly", from supplex "kneeling, submissive", literally "bending under".