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 hypo- ("under") + tensive, related to "tension."

Commonly used as a diminutive of Joan.

From French Yannick, from Breton Yannig.

From "projection" plus the agent suffix "-ist."

From German Danzig, a doublet of Gdańsk.

A patronymic form of the occupational name Seller.

From Middle English thankfully, thankefully, þonkfulliche, from Old English þancfullīċe, equivalent to thankful + -ly.

From Middle English bevey, of uncertain origin, possibly from Anglo-Norman.

From pull plus the agent suffix -er.

From a Westphalian German word likely combining terms for "fart" and a dismissive name meaning "rascal" — probably an old insult aimed at the bread's heaviness.

From French linon, itself from lin, "flax" — the plant that gives us linen.

From trim plus -er; the "opportunist" sense dates to the 1680s, from the nautical idea of adjusting sails to suit the wind.

Borrowed from Hebrew אורן ("pine tree").

Borrowed from French Giselle.

From Spanish esmeralda (“emerald”), as first used in the novel Notre-Dame de Paris (1831) by Victor Hugo.

Coined as a given name in the twentieth century from an old spelling of Islay, the Hebridean island; also the name of two unrelated Scottish rivers.

From tearful plus the adverb suffix "-ly."

Probably a misreading of Latin Ioua, an attempt to Latinize Old Irish Í.

Via Late Latin Asa from Koine Greek Ἀσά (Asá) from Biblical Hebrew אָסָא (ʾĀsāʾ), from Aramaic אָסְיָא (ʾāsyā, “physician, doctor, healer”), from Akkadian 𒀀𒍪 (A.ZU /⁠asû⁠/) from Sumerian 𒀀𒍪 (A.ZU /⁠azu⁠/, “physician, healer”); compare Classical Syriac ܐܵܣܝܵܐ (ʾāsyā, “healer, physician, medical doctor”) whence Arabic آسٍ (ʔāsin).

From Arabic مَالِك (mālik, "owner, master") and مَلِك (malik, "king").

Formed by adding the adverbial -s to Tuesday, the same pattern seen in "Sundays" or "weekdays."

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

From un- (\"not\") plus treated.

From "unknowing" + "-ly."