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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Borrowed directly from French Benoît, itself from Latin Benedictus, "blessed."

Borrowed from Cantonese 梁 (loeng⁴).

From Spanish Valdés, from Asturian Valdés.

Borrowed from Spanish Escalante.

From Irish Ó hÁgáin, "descendant of Ógán."

From Middle English Spivi.

Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Dubhagáin, from dubh ("black").

From Old French "fort escu," meaning "strong shield."

From Latin porcellus.

From Irish Ó Maolagáin, meaning "descendant of Maolagán."

Borrowed from German König (“king”).

An Anglicized shortening of Irish Ó Meachair, meaning roughly "descendant of the fine or majestic one."

Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Dubhlaoich ("descendant of Dubhlaoch"), from dubh ("black") + laoch ("hero").

From Jeffrey + -s (patronymic).

Reduced Anglicized form of either of two Irish surnames, Ó Duibhín (“descendant of Duibhín”), a byname from a hypocoristic form of dubh (“black”), or Ó Daimhín (“descendant of Daimhín”), a byname from a hypocoristic form of damh (“stag”).

From an Old Norse personal name, formed by Þórr (“Thor”) + mundr (“protection”).

After one or more places so named in Durham, Lancashire, Northumberland, and Yorkshire, from Old English (æt þǣm) nīwe hūsum (“(at the) new houses”).

Variant of Whelan.

From German Schäfer.

An anglicized form of the Irish name Ó Corraidhín, from a word related to "spear."

A variant of the surname Aldrich.

Two main origins: * From a pet form of the personal name Bartholomew. * Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Mac an Bhiadhtaigh (“son of the victualer”), from biadhtach (“victualer, hospitaller”).

Borrowed from Spanish Soriano, from soriano (“inhabitant in Soria”).

Transliteration of Hindi कुमार (kumār), etc.