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 six + -er.

Borrowed from Biblical Hebrew סִינִֽים.

From Latin sindōn (possibly by way of Old French syndone and sindone), from Ancient Greek σινδών (sindṓn), from Late Egyptian šndy(t), from earlier šnḏwt (“kilt”).

From social + -ity, from French socialité or directly from Latin sociālitās (“fellowship, sociality”), from sociālis (“social”), from socius (“companion, ally”) + -ālis.

Borrowed from Sindhi سِنْڌِي (sindhī). By surface analysis, Sindh + -i. Distant doublet of Hindi.

From silver + side.

From Middle English semly, semely, semelich, from Old Norse sœmiligr (“seemly”); equivalent to seem + -ly. Cognate with Icelandic sæmilegur (“seemly, passable”), Danish sømmelig (“seemly”).

From service + person.

By surface analysis, shelve + -ing.

Borrowed from New Latin sēpticaemia, from Latin sēpticus + -aemia.

From sell + sword. Compare hired gun.

Borrowed from Japanese 声優 (seiyū), from Middle Chinese 聲 (*ɕiɛ̝ŋ, “sound, voice”) + 優 (*ʔɨu, “actor”).

From sempitern(al) + -ity, from Latin sempiternitas.

From sense + -ly.

Blend of she + his.

From Hebrew שׁוֹאָה (šōʾā, “catastrophe”).

Transliteration from Japanese 新(しん)字(じ)体(たい) (shinjitai).

Borrowed from Hebrew שבת (shabát, “rest”). Variants ending in -s were influenced by the Yiddish form שבת (shabes). Doublet of Sabbath.

From self + -y.

Borrowed from Dutch schouw.

From shoe + tree.

From short + -some. For sense development from short to amusing, compare merry.

From seclusion + -ist.