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 "vagrant" plus the noun-forming suffix "-cy."

Built from ego- ("self") and -centric ("centered on").

From Middle French incorruptible, from Latin incorruptibilis, from in- ("not") plus corrumpere ("to destroy, spoil, bribe").

From French discernable, later respelled with -i- to match Latin discernibilis.

Borrowed from French symboliser.

From Latin interiectus, the past participle of intericere, "to place between."

Borrowed from French solitaire ("solitary"), from Latin sōlitārius — a doublet of the English word solitary.

An old past participle of overwork, formed from over- + wrought (an archaic past tense of "work").

From infatuate + -ed.

Built from "exhilarate" (to make cheerful or excited) plus "-ing."

From in (adverb) + coming (adjective).

From the verb tax, plus -ing.

From hinder + -ing.

From thread plus -ed.

Inherited from Middle English biryinge, buryinge; by surface analysis, bury + ing.

From Old English lēasung, "lying, deceit," unrelated to the modern rental sense of lease.

Possibly related to Bering.

From batter + -ing.

From Middle English bablyng, babelynge, equivalent to babble + -ing.

From Middle English rerynge, "raising."

From illuminate + -ing.

From shape plus the suffix -less, "without."

From cease + the suffix -less ("without"), so literally "without stopping."

From Old English grundlēas, "bottomless," from ground plus the "-less" suffix.