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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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An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Duibhginn, from a byname meaning roughly "black-headed".

From the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of the Mandarin 甄 (Zhēn).

Borrowed from Italian Santini.

From Old English lang (“long”) + hām (“homestead”).

Borrowed from Arabic يُوسِف (yūsif).

From the Old English personal name Dunn + tūn ("farm").

Borrowed from German Vogler.

From the Wade–Giles and Hanyu Pinyin romanization of the Mandarin pronunciation of various Chinese surnames.

From Chinese 簡／简 (Jiǎn), 檢／检 (Jiǎn), or 劍／剑 (Jiàn). Alternatively, from 錢／钱 (Qián), 千 (Qiān), or 乾／干 (Gān). As a given name, from 建 (Jiàn), 健 (Jiàn), or 謙／谦 (Qiān). Doublet of Qian and Jian.

Variant of Wechsler, a surname from German Wechsler (“money changer”). Comparatively often found among Jews, but not specifically Jewish.

A clipping of Bonaparte with the suffix -ey.

From French Lasalle.

Borrowed from Tamil கிருஷ்ணன் (kiruṣṇaṉ).

A straightforward compound of rock and land, describing terrain dominated by rock.

The definitive origin is unclear. Some are proposed, including Old English eorp (“swarthy”), from Proto-Germanic *erpaz (“light brown”); or a connection to the placenames Ypres (Belgium) or Erpe (Netherlands).

From French Deville.

* As an Irish surname, reduced from McCann. * As an English surname, from Cann in Dorset. The place name could be from Old English can, referring to a deep valley. * Americanized from Kann, Kahn.

Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Labhradha (“descendant of Labhraidh”), a byname from labhraidh (“spokesman”), from labhair (“to speak”).

American respelling of Devereux, a surname of Anglo-Norman origin. From d' + Evreux (meaning from Évreux, a city in Normandy).

Borrowed from the Tamil word aiyar, referring to this Brahmin caste.

From the Irish surname Houlihan (Ó hUallacháin), applied to this particular roping technique.

From scud (to move fast and lightly) + -er.

Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Fionnachta (“descendant of Fionnachta”), a personal name composed of the elements fionn (“fair, white”) + sneachta (“snow”).

From Middle English ermitage, "hermitage."