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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A slang alteration of "nut" (an eccentric or foppish person), popular in early 20th-century Britain.

The name comes from the Frankish *Hlōdowig — the same Germanic root that gives us "Louis" and "Ludwig." The Clovis archaeological culture is named after Clovis, New Mexico, where the first artifacts were found.

From the Germanic name element Hlūdahildiz, roughly meaning "famous battle."

From Greek kore, meaning "maiden" or "girl."

Borrowed from French Clarisse, from Italian Clarissa, from Medieval Latin Clarissa (“Poor Clare”); see there for more. Doublet of Clarissa and Clarice.

Variant of Celine, from French Céline, ultimately from Latin.

From French Céline, from Latin Caelīna, derived from the Roman gens name Caelius.

From coke plus the suffix -er.

A habitational surname from a place in Cheshire, from Middle English words for "big" and "mound, hill."

Borrowed from German Panzer ("armour"), from Old French panciere ("coat of mail"), ultimately from Latin pantex ("belly, paunch").

Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic claidheamh-mòr.

A compound of hand and brake, describing a brake operated manually rather than by foot.

From Old English eofor (“wild boar”) + tūn (“settlement”).

From dear plus -y, an alternate spelling of dearie.

From Latin Aurelia, the feminine form of the Roman family name Aurelius, from aureus ("golden").

From Ancient Greek Εὐγενία (Eugenía), feminine form of Εὐγένιος (Eugénios) ( =Eugene) "well born".

Believed to be named after aviator Charles Lindbergh, whose 1927 transatlantic flight ("hop") was in the news around the time the dance took off.

As a German surname, from Becker, related to Beck ("baker"); as an English surname, from Old Norse bekkr ("brook") or Old English becca ("mattock").

Traces back to a Semitic root word simply meaning "eye" — the letter's ancient shape was thought to resemble one.

From "salt" plus the agent suffix "-er" — literally "one who works with salt."

From Welsh pen ("head, chief") plus dragon ("commander, war leader"), giving a title meaning roughly "chief war leader."

Borrowed from French Thibault.

Borrowed from French René.

From Latin Rēmī.