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 soul + -ful.

A Cornish name, usually as a diminutive form of Jennifer. Doublet of Ivanka, Jan, Janelle, Janet, Janey, Janine, Jeanette, Jeanie, Jeannette, Jeannine, Jen, Jenny, Jessie, Jo, Jody, Juanita, Shanae, Sinead, and Vanna when based on Jenny's other derivations.

Named after a May fair once held annually on the site, back when the area was still open fields on the edge of London.

Borrowed from Polish rada ("council"), tracing back to a Middle High German root also seen in German Rat and Dutch raad.

From "entrap" plus the suffix "-ment," forming a noun describing the act or result.

A clipped, informal form: "devo" from devastated, and separately from devotion/devotional.

From traffic + -ing.

From traffic + -er.

From Old Norse Gunnr.

From the ancient Greek name Damianos, related to a verb meaning "to tame."

From Jumbo, the name of a famous, enormous African elephant bought by showman P. T. Barnum in 1882 for his circus.

From Latin reclamatio, built from "reclaim" plus the noun ending "-ation."

Scottish surname thought to be from Norman, but not corresponding to any obvious places in France; perhaps a corrupted transcription of a Middle Irish name. More at Fraser.

Borrowed from Malay gudang, itself from a Tamil or Telugu word for a storeroom.

A compound of school and teacher.

A compound of school and yard.

From green plus field, originally referring literally to undeveloped agricultural or grassy land.

A compound of school and mate.

From Latin sil (“a kind of yellow earth, ochre”).

From Middle English sō, tracing back to Old English sā ("tub" or "pail") and related to Old Norse sár ("large cask") — all ultimately from a Germanic root for a bucket or vat.

From cheap + an old slang word skate, meaning a contemptible or worthless person.

From Greek parabolikos, related to "parabola."

From Sanskrit mahatma, literally "great soul".

From sniff + -er.