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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Anglicized form of Irish Mac Uaid (“son of Uad”).

Borrowed from Czech Boreš.

Borrowed from Hungarian Bartók.

Anglicized form of Irish mac céile (“son of the companion”) or, alternatively, from Irish Mac Haol (“son of Haol”), a Gaelicized form of Howell.

Borrowed from Sanskrit दामिनी (dāminī).

Anglicized form of Irish and Scottish Gaelic Mac Fhearadhaigh (“son of Fhearadhach”), a personal name meaning "strong", "brave", from fear (“man”).

Named after Scottish-American inventor David Dunbar Buick (1854-1929), who founded the company.

Borrowed from German Zips, from Middle High German Cypis, Cypus, possibly from Old Hungarian Schypis (modern Szepes).

Of disputed origin, possibly Irish, Cornish (from a word for "wolf"), or a variant of the English surname Blythe.

Variant of Bowerman.

From the initial syllable of each word.

A variant of the German surname Honold.

Perhaps a habitational surname from a house bearing the sign of a bunch of grapes.

Anglicized form of Irish Mac Con Allaidh (son of the wild hound) derived from cú allaid (“wild hound, wild dog”), or in Connacht Irish Mac an Fhailghigh derived from failgheach (“poor man”).

Borrowed from the Spanish surname Solana, related to a word for a sunny place.

From the ancient Egyptian jꜣrw ("reeds"), part of the phrase sḫt-jꜣrw, "field of reeds".

From Japanese 大島 (Ōshima), literally "big island."

Borrowed from Arabic أَزْهَر (ʔazhar, “shining, radiant”). This surname is mostly found in Pakistan.

From French Stains.

From Hebrew "malka," meaning "queen."

From the Japanese word 社 (yashiro), referring to a Shinto place of worship.

Coined after rapper Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, grabbing the microphone to make his own comment.

Anglicized form of Irish Mac Íomhair.

Ultimately from Irish Mac Gille Eoin.