Etymology — The Origins of English Words

Wichita

Origin

Uncertain origin, likely from a Muscogee (Creek) phrase meaning "red water", referring to a river.

Priam

Latin

From Latin Priamus, from Greek Πρίαμος (Príamos).

Lilah

Origin

A shortened form of Delilah, also used as a spelling variant of Leila.

underhill

Origin

Built from "under" plus "hill" — literally describing something positioned beneath or at the foot of a hill.

Guggenheim

German

A Jewish surname originally from towns in Alsace or Hesse, Germany, combined with the Old High German word for "home."

Costello

Irish

* As an Irish surname, reduced Anglicized form of Irish Mac Oisdealbhaigh (“son of Oisdealbhach”), a personal name composed of the elements os (“deer”) and dealbhach (“resembling, in the form of”). * As an Italian surname, Americanized from Castello. * As a Serbo-Croatian or Slovene surname, Americanized from Kostelec, Kostevc, from Kostelsko region in Lower Carniola, named after Kostel Castle, from earlier Costel, Slavicized from Latin castrum (“fortress”), hence related to the Italian above.

Matterhorn

Italian

Named after the Matterhorn, the sharply pointed mountain on the Swiss-Italian border — one of the most recognisable and difficult peaks in the Alps.

GRU

Russian

From Russian ГРУ (GRU), an acronym for Главное Разведывательное Управление ("Main Intelligence Directorate").

Bouvier

French

From French bouvier, "cowherd" or "ox-driver," reflecting the breed's original job herding cattle.

Imelda

German

From Romance (Italian Imelda, Spanish Imelda), from German Irmhild.

Lilith

Hebrew

Borrowed from Hebrew לִילִית (lîlîṯ), tracing back to older Mesopotamian demon-lore.

Ringo

Origin

From the stage name of Beatles drummer Richard Starkey, said to derive from the many rings he wore.

Jacinta

Spanish

Borrowed from Spanish Jacinta. Variant of Jacinda and Jacintha.

lividity

Latin

From Latin lividitas, from lividus, "livid" — see livid.

Nieves

Spanish

Borrowed from Spanish Nieves.

Napster

Origin

Named after the file-sharing service Napster, itself named after founder Shawn Fanning's nickname, which referred to his curly ("nappy") hair.

Blackbeard

Origin

From black and beard, describing his thick dark beard.

Kwok

Origin

From Cantonese 郭 (gwok³). Doublet of Guo and Kuo.

Ong

Origin

From Hokkien 王 (Ông) or 汪 (Ong).

Ang

Origin

Borrowed from Hokkien 洪 (Âng).

Cheng

Origin

From the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of Mandarin 程 (Chéng).

youngblood

Origin · 1900

A straightforward compound of young and blood, used since the 20th century for fresh new talent or energy.

Lim

Chinese

From Korean 임/림 (Im/Rim) or from the Chinese character 林, meaning "forest," as pronounced in southern Chinese dialects.

Consuelo

Spanish

From Spanish consuelo, meaning "consolation" or "comfort."