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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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attestation
Latin
From Latin attestari 'to bear witness', from ad 'to' and testis 'a witness'.
ATP
English
An initialism of adenosine triphosphate.
ATM
English
An initialism of automated teller machine.
asynchronous
Greek
From Greek a- 'not', syn 'together' and chronos 'time'.
asymptomatic
Greek
From Greek a- 'without' and symptomatic, ultimately from symptoma 'a happening, an occurrence'.
astringent
Latin
From Latin astringere 'to bind fast, draw tight', from ad 'to' and stringere 'to bind'.
aspirate
Latin
From Latin aspirare 'to breathe upon', from ad 'to' and spirare 'to breathe'.
ASAP
English
An initialism of as soon as possible.
artifact
Latin
From the Latin phrase arte factum 'made by skill', from ars 'art, skill' and facere 'to make'.
apposite
Latin
From Latin appositus, the past participle of apponere 'to place near', from ad 'to' and ponere 'to put'.
apostille
French
From French apostille 'annotation, marginal note', from apostiller 'to add a note'.
apostasy
Greek
From Greek apostasis 'defection, revolt', literally a standing away, from apo 'away from' and stasis 'a standing'.
apoplexy
Greek
From Greek apoplexia, from apoplessein 'to disable by a stroke', reaching English through Latin and Old French.
apiary
Latin
From Latin apiarium 'beehouse', from apis 'bee'.
aphid
Latin
From modern Latin aphis, of uncertain origin.
antithesis
Greek
From Greek antithesis 'opposition', from anti- 'against' and tithenai 'to place'.
anthology
Greek
From Greek anthologia 'a gathering of flowers', from anthos 'flower' and -logia 'collection'.
antecedent
Latin
From Latin antecedere 'to go before', from ante- 'before' and cedere 'to go'.
antebellum
Latin
From Latin ante bellum 'before the war'.
antagonist
Greek
From Greek antagōnistēs 'opponent', from anti- 'against' and agōn 'contest'.
anodyne
Greek
From Greek anōdynos 'painless', from an- 'without' and odynē 'pain'.
annotation
Latin
From Latin annotatio, from annotare 'to mark', from ad- 'to' and nota 'mark'.
annotate
Latin
From Latin annotare, from ad- 'to' and nota 'mark, note'.
androgynous
Greek
From Greek anēr, andr- 'man' and gynē 'woman'.