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 "professional" plus the adverb-forming suffix "-ly."

From "dog" + "fight," likening the frantic, snapping maneuvers to two dogs fighting.

From inadequate plus -cy, or in- plus adequacy.

From Portuguese and Spanish Ricardo; a doublet of Richard.

Originally named "Anne Arundell's Towne" after an English noblewoman, later reinterpreted to honor Princess Anne of Denmark — combining "Anna" (a Latin form of Anne) with the Greek suffix "-polis" ("city").

From Dart plus mouth, since the English town lies at the mouth of the River Dart.

From Pitt + "-burgh" ("fortified place"), named after British statesman William Pitt the Elder.

From Old English Cent + dæl = "valley of the river Kent".

Old Norse · 1905

From Scottish Gaelic MacLeòid (“son of Leòd”), from Old Norse Liótr (“the Ugly (one)”), from Old Norse ljótr (“ugly, scary”). The combination tool was created in 1905 by Malcolm McLeod, a US Forest Service ranger.

From Latin Pompeiī, of Oscan origin, thought to derive from a word meaning "five," possibly referring to the town's five districts.

A shortening of Louis/Louise.

From Portuguese, ultimately from the Thai name for the region.

From Dutch Duinkerke, from duin ("dune") + kerk ("church").

From Old English glæd (“shining”) + stān (“stone”).

From French gendarme, originally a back-formation from gens d'armes, "people of arms."

A variant spelling of Hannah, ultimately from a Hebrew word meaning "grace" or "favour."

Coined by the poet Jacopo Sannazaro, probably from Ancient Greek ὠφέλειᾰ ("help, aid").

From Medieval Latin receptivus ("capable of receiving"), ultimately from Latin recipio ("to receive").

Scottish Gaelic

An anglicized spelling of Scottish Gaelic Sheumais, a form of Seumas — itself the Gaelic equivalent of James.

From German Schmidt ("smith"); a doublet of Smith.

From French vicomte, related to English "viscount."

From Latin Vesuvius, of uncertain origin.

A Latinate feminine form of Philip, recorded in medieval England, but originally pronounced like the masculine form.

Formed from swelter ("to suffer from oppressive heat") plus the -ing ending.