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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From non- plus violence.

A chemical name built from "diazepine" (part of its molecular structure) + "amide."

From Latin molina ("of a mill"), compare Miller.

Thought to come from Italian uomo ("man"), picked up into English slang via Polari and older cant vocabularies.

A clipped, respelled form of the longer given name or of "jazz."

The feminine form of Ivan, shared across several Slavic languages; related to "Joan," "Jean," and "Jane."

From the Hawaiian place name Hāna.

A clipped form of longer words such as "pedestrian" or "moped," depending on context.

Clipping + -i (diminutive suffix).

The German spelling of Eric.

A shortened form of names like Angelina, Carolina, or Evelina.

From the German sportswear company Adidas, named after its founder Adolf "Adi" Dassler.

From Hebrew כלב (“dog”), possibly referring to a dog’s unconditional devotion to its master.

The past participle/adjective form of the verb "bed," in its senses of furnishing with beds or setting into a layer.

A worn-down Middle English form of apprentice.

From tampon + the medical/technical suffix -ade.

A blend of twitch and jerk; the dance sense spread through hip-hop culture and became widely known after Miley Cyrus's 2013 performance.

Formed from re- ("again") plus launch.

Formed from Gertrude plus the affectionate "-ie" ending.

Transliteration of Bengali ভাই (bhai). Doublet of bhai; see there for more doublets.

A clipped, informal form of the given name Sebastian.

A simple compound of "fun" and "fair."

Proprialisation of allies, the plural of ally.

From slash plus -ing.