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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A modern coinage, traditionally explained as combining Welsh rhon ("pike, lance") and da ("good").

From review + -er.

From Old French tornei, related to tornoier ("to joust").

From over- + dressed.

From cheerlead plus the suffix -ing.

Named after the Iranian city of Shiraz, from Persian شیراز, long associated with winemaking history.

Formed by adding the affectionate suffix -ie, similar to how "Neddie" comes from "Edward."

From Michael + -a. Latinate feminine form of Michael, first appearing as an anglicisation of the Portuguese ("Micaela") and Spanish ("Micaela"). Doublet of Michelle.

A twentieth-century blend of Mary and Lynn.

From mam /mama + -ie.

Named after the German town of Rottweil, where the breed was developed for herding and guarding cattle.

* As an Italian surname, from Italian Sanna. * As a Dutch surname, reduced from Susanna. * As a Greek surname, spelling variant of Sannas, from σανός (sanós, “hay”).

Variant of Nick + -o.

Likely from a child's pronunciation of "blanket," later reinforced by a commercial pacifier brand of the same name.

From Ancient Greek Lōḯs, of uncertain meaning — not related to Louise or Louisa despite the similar sound.

From Old English Lindesege, ultimately referring to an "island" of land near Lincoln surrounded by marsh.

In some cases a 20th-century spelling of Laurie (from Laura); in others, a short form of names like Loretta or Lorraine.

The given names are clippings of Laurence, Lawrence, Laura, or Lauren + -ie, all ultimately from Latin laurus (“laurel”). The surname is from the diminutive of Lawrence. The city in Missouri was named by its residents in 1961 after L. M. and William (Buster) Laurie, who in 1937 bought a building in the area and operated the Laurie Market, because of the goodwill generated by the family store over the years.

From replicate + -or.

A compound of "door" and "nail," mostly remembered today through the phrase "dead as a doornail."

Borrowed from Tamil கோயம்புத்தூர் (kōyamputtūr).

From Bundaberg + -y (“diminutive suffix”).

From French Ariane, from Ancient Greek Ἀριάδνη (Ariádnē).

A compound of buzz ("a feeling of excitement") and kill — literally something that kills the buzz.