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 Mághnais (“son of Magnus”).

Borrowed from French Gigi. Sometimes a pet form of English names such as Virginia or Genesis. Occasionally from initials G.G. (e.g. George General 'Gigi' Gryce).

Borrowed from Hebrew מָרְדֳּכַי (mordocháy).

An anglicization of the Irish name Muirne, meaning "beloved," made popular in the 20th century by actress Myrna Loy.

From Japanese 新宿 (Shinjuku), literally "new lodging."

Borrowed from Japanese 足立 (Adachi).

From Jensen, from Danish Jensen.

From Old English stocc (“tree trunk, stump”) + wella (“well, spring, stream”).

From Fagin, the character who runs a gang of child pickpockets in Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist.

Borrowed from the Italian name Geppetto.

From Northern Middle English Lumhalghes, meaning roughly "pool" + "corners" (of land).

Borrowed from the Japanese surname 東條 (Tōjō).

From Mandarin 隋 (Suí), also the name of a short-lived Chinese dynasty that ruled from 581 to 618 CE.

The fruit and the given name share the same Japanese origin, borrowed into English separately.

Borrowed from French Lapointe.

Borrowed from Japanese あゆみ (Ayumi).

From Spanish Ángeles.

Borrowed from Japanese 北 (きた, Kita).

A Latinised form of Old English Godġifu, literally "God gift."

Named for the University of Florida "Gators", whose football team the drink was originally developed for in 1965.

Named after the Yayoi district of Tokyo, where artefacts from this period were first identified.

A transliteration of the Russian surname Гагарин (Gagárin).

English surname, spelling variant of Rolf.

From Arabic الْعَاصِي (al-ʕāṣī).