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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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English surname, possibly from the verb gallop; or also possibly shortened from Galpin.

From German Schäfer ("shepherd"), from Middle High German schæfære.

From German Cramer.

From German Müller ("miller"); a doublet of Miller.

Borrowed from German Ziegler.

Borrowed from Japanese こういち (Kōichi), a male given name with many variant kanji spellings.

Inherited from Middle English Ely, from Old English Ēlīġ, of uncertain origin.

From Russian Илья́ (Ilʹjá). Doublet of Elijah.

Borrowed from Russian Евге́ний (Jevgénij), from Ancient Greek Εὐγένιος (Eugénios). Doublet of Eugene and Eugenius.

* As a Polish, Czech, Slovak (Hús) and Jewish surname, from husa (“goose”). Compare Husa. * As a Dutch surname, variant of Huss, also found in German, from the nouns huis or Haus, and derivatives of Proto-West Germanic *hugi (“spirit, mind”) (as in Hugh). * As a Norwegian surname, from hus (“house”). This sense also entered French through Frankish *hūs. Compare Paulhus.

From Russian Григо́рий (Grigórij), from Byzantine Greek Γρηγόριος (Grēgórios). A doublet of Gregory.

The surname comes from Khmer តក់ (tɑk).

Most places named Bolivar honor Simon Bolivar (1783-1830).

From Latin Menelāus, from Ancient Greek Μενέλαος (Menélaos).

From Old English denu (“valley, den”) + tūn (“enclosure; settlement, town”).

From German Hegel.

Two main origins: * Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó hAilche (“descendant of Ailche”), a personal name of unclear origin. * Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó hÁille (“descendant of Áille”), a byname from áille (“beauty”).

From Greek "basileus," meaning king.

From Latin Valens.

From the Scottish surname Rayburn/Raeburn, taken from a place name meaning "roe-deer stream."

Borrowed from Arabic جَعْفَر (jaʕfar). A transliteration of an Arabic and Persian male given name.

Borrowed from Japanese 新井 (Arai) or 荒井 (Arai).

From Sanskrit अमृतसरस् (amṛtasaras), from अमृत (amṛta, "nectar") + सरस् (saras, "lake, pool").

From Greek Antigonē, the mythological figure's name.