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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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Lachie
Origin
From Lachlan + -ie.
Kagami
Japanese
Borrowed from Japanese かがみ (Kagami).
Stravinsky
Russian
Transliteration of Russian Страви́нский (Stravínskij), from Polish Strawiński, from Polish Strawa, from Lithuanian Strėva (river in Lithuania).
Tajima
Japanese
Borrowed from the Japanese surname 田島 (Tajima).
Amamiya
Japanese
Borrowed from Japanese 雨宮 (Amamiya).
Tezuka
Japanese
Borrowed from Japanese 手塚 (Tezuka).
Oyama
Japanese
Borrowed from Japanese 小山 (Oyama), 尾山 (Oyama) or 大山 (Ōyama).
Oishi
Japanese
From Japanese 大石 (Ōishi), literally "big stone."
Kosuke
Japanese
Borrowed from Japanese こうすけ (Kōsuke).
Kohei
Japanese
Borrowed from Japanese こうへい (Kōhei).
Kenichi
Japanese
Borrowed from Japanese けんいち (Ken'ichi).
Yukie
Japanese
Borrowed from the Japanese name ゆきえ (Yukie).
Tami
Japanese
Borrowed from Japanese たみ (Tami).
Zan
Origin
From Georgian ზანური (zanuri).
Bakes
Origin
Clipping of Baker + -s.
Fede
Italian
Borrowed from Italian Fede.
Nikko
Origin
From the Nikko brand name, which became a generic term the way "biro" did for ballpoint pens.
Hattori
Japanese
Borrowed from Japanese 服部 (Hattori).
Taz
Origin
From the character Tasmanian Devil.
Audi
Latin
The brand name is a Latin translation of the founder's surname, Horch (German for "listen") — Audi is the Latin imperative "listen!"
eggman
Origin
A compound of egg and man, describing the tradesman's job directly.
Wilby
Origin
Various origins: * The village in Norfolk is named with Old English welig (“willow”) + Old Norse bý (“farmstead”). * The village in Northamptonshire is named with the Old Norse personal name Villi + bý (“farmstead”). * The village in Suffolk is named with Old English welig (“willow”) + bēag (“ring, circle”).
guk
Korean
Borrowed from Korean 국 (guk, "soup").
Leyton
Old English
From the name of the River Lea + Old English tūn ("settlement, town").