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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The name of two early Anglo-Saxon saints Wilfriþ, from Old English wil (“will”) + friþ (“peace”).

From "Siberia" plus the suffix "-an."

From "work" plus the suffix "-able," meaning able to be worked or made to function.

From un- + paralleled.

From "peer" (an equal) plus "-less," literally meaning "without equal."

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

From Sam + -ie.

From Breton Brest, ultimately from a Proto-Celtic word meaning "hill."

From motor + boat.

From shit plus head, modelled after the similar insult dickhead.

From Middle English man servant, man servaunt; equivalent to man + servant.

An American coinage from "slow" plus "poke," an old word meaning a lazy or dawdling person.

From homicide + the adjective ending -al.

From Medieval Latin rectoria, related to rector.

From Sanskrit लीला (līlā), meaning "play" or "sport," referring to divine creative activity.

From thin + -er.

From Anglo-Norman carogne, related to Old French charogne ("carrion, old ewe") — the same root that gives English the word "carrion."

From game (wild animals hunted for sport) + keeper.

The adjective is derived from snoot (“(UK, dialectal, and slang) snout; nose”) + -y (suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘having the quality of’), probably referring to a snobbish person often having their nose in the air (that is, acting disdainfully towards others). Snoot is a dialectal variant of snout. The noun is derived from the adjective.

Named after Inari, the Japanese deity associated with rice, foxes, and agriculture — foxes are said to favor fried tofu, which gave the dish its name.

Formed in English from Sumer plus the adjective ending -ian.

Named for the way users would crush or "pop" the small glass ampoules of amyl nitrite to release the vapour inside.

From "kid" + the adjectival suffix "-y." Also a variant spelling of "kiddie."

Formed from "duty" plus "-ful," meaning "full of a sense of duty."