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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From consumer + the noun-forming suffix -ism.

Deverbal from match up.

A shortened form of "colewort", an old word meaning cabbage greens.

From French immemorial, formed from "im-" ("not") plus "memorial."

The "-ing" noun form of "yell", tracing back to Old English.

From chronicle + the agent suffix -er.

From Persian biryān ("roasted, fried"), passed into Hindi/Urdu and adopted into English through South Asian cuisine.

From choreograph plus the agent suffix -er.

A straightforward compound of choir and boy.

From French charade; the plural form became fixed as the name of the acting game.

From French centrifuge, ultimately from Latin centrum ("center") + fugere ("to flee").

A compound of row + boat.

From ruthless plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

From ruthless plus the noun-forming suffix -ness.

A straightforward compound of case + load.

Origin uncertain; likely derived from the surname Busby.

Origin uncertain, but possibly related to a coarse woolen cloth called "burel" combined with "lap" (a flap of cloth); a Dutch origin has also been suggested.

A straightforward compound of "box" and "car," describing a railway car shaped like a box.

Borrowed from German Gerhardt.

From the Old French surname Gaillard, meaning roughly "strong" or "lively"; over time English speakers reread the spelling as if it meant "gay lord," which gave the name its later slang meaning.

Scottish Gaelic

From a place name in Aberdeenshire, from Scottish Gaelic lios cuileann ("garden of hollies").

From French Aimée, "beloved," a variant of the English name Amy.

From Italian and Spanish, linked by folk etymology to Laura; the well-known song "Lorena" was inspired by Poe's "Lenore."

Named after 19th-century American women's-rights activist Amelia Bloomer, who popularised the garment.