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.

Browse etymology by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Recently added

A blend of numb and nuts, both suggesting dullness or foolishness.

From rightful plus -ly.

Probably from a Middle English female name Diot, a pet form of Dionysia.

An anglicized form of the Irish name Dubhán, from dubh ("black, dark").

From Late Latin Dominicus, derived from Dominus (“Lord”).

From the Irish surname, from Breton Leon and Norman Léon, named after Sir Henry de Leon of the Viscounty of Léon. Related to the surname Lyon. Unrelated to the name Dylan, although the homophony may result in the two being considered variant spellings of the same name.

* As an Irish, English, and French surname, spelling variant of Devine. Also see Devon. * Also as a French surname, from devin (“fortuneteller”). * As a Russian surname, from дева (deva, “maiden”).

From an English surname traced back through Old Norse to an Old Irish word for "troop" or "company."

Variant of Claude.

A casual shortening of juvenile, with the informal -ie ending added.

Apheretic form of Eleanor.

From French Corinne, tracing back to Ancient Greek kore, meaning "girl" or "maiden."

From pre- ("before") plus marital.

Borrowed directly from Vietnamese phở.

From Russian Černóbylʹ, ultimately from a word for "mugwort" or "wormwood".

A blend of forever and evermore.

From Middle Dutch sprayen ("to spray, sprinkle, spread"), ultimately from a Proto-Germanic root meaning to sprinkle.

From freelance plus the agent suffix -er.

Variant of the Scottish surname Melville, from a place name Malleville in Normandy, from Latin mala (“bad”) + Old French ville (“settlement”). * Used to Anglicize Mac Gille Beathain in Scotland and Ó Maoil Mhín in Ireland.

From Old English Bēowulf, likely combining bee and wulf ("wolf") — possibly a poetic way of saying "bear," i.e., "bee-hunter."

From Middle High German palme, balme.

Built from mis- (\"wrongly\") plus calculation.

From Hebrew אָשֵׁר ('ashér).

From Hebrew Shim'on, "he has heard."