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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From Latin spumescens, p.pr. of spumescere (“to grow foamy”).

The noun is from Middle Dutch spekkel; the verb was later coined from the noun, in the late 16th century.

From spade + -ful.

From stake + body.

Blend of super + perfecta.

From special + -ity, from Middle French spécialité, from Old French specialte, especialte, from Latin specialitas.

Inherited from Middle English surplys, from Old French surpeliz, from Medieval Latin superpelliceum, from Latin super (“over”) and pellis (“fur”).

Inherited from Middle English stedefastly, stedefastliche; equivalent to steadfast + -ly.

From Middle English starkenen (“to grow strong”), equivalent to stark + -en.

From Scottish Gaelic sporan (“purse”), from Middle Irish sparán, possibly from Late Latin bursa (“purse”), ultimately from Ancient Greek βύρσα (búrsa, “leather, hide”).

From spank + -er.

From super- + maxi.

From spare + -ful?

From sovereign + -dom.

From sub- + language.

From stink + -ard.

From Middle English suet, sewet, borrowed from Anglo-Norman suet, siuet, from Old French seu, from Latin sebum.

Borrowed from Latin stropha, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek στροφή (strophḗ, “a turn, bend, twist”). Compare strap and strop. Compare typologically rehearsal, rehearse (related to French herser (“to harrow”) << Latin hirpex, another meaning shift from the idea of turning).

From stupid + -i- + -cy.

From stomach + -al, compare French stomacal.

From splash + board.

From suggest + -able.

Possibly a contraction of spastic (as a term of abuse).