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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Of Norman baronial origin, from Grainville in Normandy, meaning "Guarin's town."

Anglicized spelling of French Esmé.

Anglicized from Irish Ó Floinn, "descendant of Flann (red)".

Invented by Walter Scott for Ivanhoe, likely a misreading of Cerdic; possibly connected to the Welsh caredig, "beloved."

An anglicized spelling of Irish Cillian.

From a Norman name based on the French place name Chancé.

Deverbal from try out.

From disarm + -ment, modeled on armament.

An informal shortening of "best (friend)" plus the affectionate "-ie" ending.

From thread plus -y.

Borrowed from Spanish mami.

The bird's scientific name, Malia grata, gave rise to this common name.

Borrowed from Spanish Guadalupe; see there for more. Doublet of Guadeloupe.

Borrowed from Spanish, the same root as the English name Alexandra.

A 20th-century variant of Sarah, or explained as Arabic زَهْرَة (zahra, “flower”); given to the daughter of Princess Anne in 1981.

Coined in the 19th century, from Latin vernus (“spring-like”) or as a feminine of Vernon.

Coined at the end of the 19th century, by analogy with Thelma and Wilma.

A medieval contraction of Thomasina, a feminine form of Thomas, revived in the UK in the twentieth century.

Borrowed from French Dumas, meaning "from the farmstead", especially one in the south of France.

Formed by fusing in + so + far into one word.

From Middle English blomer, from blome (“iron ingot”) (modern English bloom), from Old English blōma.

From talk plus the adjective suffix -y.

From "hand" + "set."

Formed from "hair" and "dressing," in the sense of arranging or preparing.