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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 English occupational surname, a variant of "Miller" that kept the "-n-" from the older Middle English word mylnere.

From Irish Ó Flannagáin (“descendant of Flannagán”), a personal name from a double diminutive of flann (“blood red”).

Variant of Berkeley.

A medieval form of the name Petronella, later used as a surname and place name.

A brand name blending "twin" and "sticks," referring to the two biscuit fingers in each pack.

From Middle English Uther, from Middle Welsh Uthyr.

Borrowed from Vietnamese Việt, the traditional name of the Vietnamese people.

From Latin Iosephus, itself from the Greek rendering of the Hebrew name Joseph.

From Old English elements meaning either "flax enclosure" or "lime-tree enclosure," combined with tūn ("settlement, town").

The rural municipality is named after Canadian politician George-Étienne Cartier (1814 - 1873).

"The settlement by Pendle," combining the hill name Pendle with Old English tūn ("settlement").

From river-names derived from Proto-Brythonic *lleɨθ (“moist”) (compare Welsh llaith).

* As an English surname, from Old Norse Eiríkr. * As a Dutch surname, from an assimilated Dutch form of Henry (also see Henrick), or from the Germanic elements *harjaz (“army”) + *rīks (“ruler”). * As an Irish surname, from Ó hEirc, "descendant of Earc," from earc (“speckled”). Compare Harkin from Ó hEarcáin.

From Old English Wulfsiġe (“wolf victory”).

Meaning "Wilhelm's estate", from Wilhelm + Old English -ing (“belonging to”) + Old English tūn (“homestead, settlement”)

Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Mac a' Phearsain (“son of the parson”), from pearsan (“parson”).

Probably from the genitive form of Old English ēam ("maternal uncle").

A habitational surname from the village of Montbray in Normandy, from Old French mont ("hill") and brai ("mud").

From Middle English Newgate; equivalent to new + gate.

From French Montaigne, equivalent to English Mountain.

Borrowed from French Fontaine. Doublet of Fontana.

Scottish Gaelic

From Scottish Gaelic baile ("village, town") + pòr ("pasture").

From Sidon + -ia (“of”).

From either the Old English personal name Cena or cyne- (“royal”) + tūn (“enclosure; settlement, town”).