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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For the Cornish town (sense 1), from Fal + mouth, at the mouth of the River Fal.

From fire and side.

Borrowed from French Louvre.

Borrowed from German Beethoven, which is itself of Dutch origin.

From Old English brād ("broad") plus lēah ("woodland").

A variant of Beth, itself a clipping of Elizabeth.

From John + -ie.

From Latin Memphis, from Ancient Greek Μέμφις (Mémphis), from Egyptian mn-nfr.

A feminine diminutive of the French name Antoine, equivalent to Anthony.

From French, ultimately from the Latin name Julius.

From Latin Hilarius (“cheerful, happy”), name of a fourth-century saint, and from its feminine form Hilaria.

Named after Madame de Pompadour (1721-1764), the influential mistress of King Louis XV of France, known for her elaborate style.

From Fran + -ie. The town was named after Frannie Morris, daughter of the town's first postmaster.

Diminutives with -y.

From un- + flattering.

From "strap" plus "-less."

Named after the Scottish civil engineer Thomas Telford, who pioneered this method of road building.

From Middle English grene wode, combining green with wood.

Formed from godly plus the noun-forming suffix -ness.

From un- ("not") plus resolved.

From neuro- ("nerve") plus science.

Formed from in- ("not") plus operable.

From un- + buttoned.

From Middle English Wicham, Wikham, from Old English wīċ (“village”) + hām (“homestead”). Doublet of Wycombe.