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

From un- ("not") plus registered.

Likely grew out of the verb "suck," by way of older pet names like Sukey and Suke used for hand-reared calves.

From knob + head, on the same pattern as similar crude insults.

A Latinised medieval name from Old French, ultimately from a Proto-Germanic word for "yew" or "bow"; related to the modern French name Yves.

From off plus screen.

From un- plus detectable.

Superlative form of "damned," built the same way "biggest" comes from "big" — damned plus the ending -est.

From bunk + house.

From Middle English bunchy, bonchy, equivalent to bunch + -y.

From Japanese jin.

A modern Scandinavian spelling variant of Christina

A clipped form of "bronco."

Scottish Gaelic

Related to "brogue," possibly ultimately from an Irish or Scottish Gaelic word for "shoe," though the exact link is uncertain.

A deverbal noun from the phrasal verb break up.

From un- + cooperative.

From un- + claimed.

From un- + accounted.

From Japanese 乙 (otsu), meaning "second" — used in older classification systems.

A compound of body and work.

From the romanization of the Mandarin word for this class of spirit or mythical creature; also a common Chinese surname with several distinct origins.

Clipped from the Singlish/Singapore phrase "chao keng," itself from Teochew words meaning roughly "dirty" and "to dodge" — soldiers pretending to be sick to skip duty.

Blend of h + eng.

An acronym from "bug-eyed monster," a term coined by science-fiction fans to mock cliché alien villains.

From un- + invited.