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 "blast" plus the agent suffix "-er" — literally, a thing that blasts.

From "biological" plus the adverb ending "-ly."

From "bio-" (life) plus "degradable," meaning capable of being broken down.

Formed by shortening "biochemistry" back to an agent noun — someone who works in that field.

From Hungarian Zoltán, from szultán (“sultan”), from Ottoman Turkish سلطان (sultan), from Arabic سُلْطَان (sulṭān, “ruler”). Doublet of sultan.

A clipped form of "bicarbonate."

Borrowed through Portuguese from a South Indian word for the plant's leaf.

A simple, informal compound of "belly" and "button," describing the navel’s button-like appearance.

A shortened form of the older word bellhopper.

From "beach" plus "head," originally a military term.

From Japanese 万歳 (banzai), literally "ten thousand years [of life]," borrowed centuries earlier from Chinese — originally a wish for the emperor's long life, later a general cheer of triumph.

From Portuguese baniano, from Arabic baniyān, ultimately from Sanskrit vāṇija ("merchant"). The tree itself was named after the Hindu merchants (banyans) who traditionally gathered and traded beneath one famous specimen near a port in Persia.

From Russian Хрущёв (Xruščóv), usually written Хрущев (Xruščev) (see note about Russian letter ё (jo)).

A compound of camera and man.

From Russian кремль (kremlʹ), originally meaning a fortress inside a city; the Moscow Kremlin became so famous that the word now doubles as shorthand for the Russian government itself.

From twist plus the adjective-forming suffix -y.

From twig plus the adjective-forming suffix -y.

From motor + -ist.

A literal compound of dead and wood, later extended figuratively to useless people or things.

From French barrir (“to trumpet; to make the sound of an elephant”), from Old French barrire, from Late Latin barriō, from Latin barrus (“elephant”).

From Persian چنگ (chang).

From wrist + band.

From wrinkle + -y.

A direct translation of the German word "Weltanschauung" — "world" plus "view."