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 shroud + -ed.

A noun formed from the phrasal verb "lock down".

From Middle English maymed, past participle of maimen.

Formed from court plus the past-tense ending -ed.

From chart + -ed. Piecewise doublet of carded.

From will + the ending -ed, used to form an adjective.

From imprint + the adjective-forming suffix -ed.

From flock, meaning tufts of wool or fibre.

* (praiseworthy and admirable): Coined by Soyjak.party users upset at the widened usage of based (“praiseworthy and admirable, particularly in a perceived countercultural sense”) outside of their community. Most likely simply from the verb key; in slang perhaps connected to the "securing" action of a lock and key (compare e.g. scored).

From finger + -ed.

Plural of earphone.

From Greek kheír ("hand") and prâxis ("action, practice") — literally "hand practice".

From blacken plus the past-tense/adjective suffix -ed.

From un- + plug.

From dis- + qualify, meaning to remove someone's previously granted qualification or eligibility.

From Old French parjurer, from Latin periurare ("to swear falsely").

From un- ("reverse of") plus screw.

From English appraise + -er.

From an older phrase "a plenty," combining the indefinite article with "plenty."

From announce plus the agent suffix -er, tracing back to Latin nūntius, "messenger."

From gross plus the "-ly" adverb ending.

From the place name Crimea + the adjective suffix -an.

From uncommon + -ly.

By surface analysis, stage + -ing.