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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Coined in French by instrument maker Alexandre Debain in 1840, from harmony plus the Latin-style ending -ium.

From "fate" plus "-ful".

From Old English unġehīered ("unheard"), equivalent to un- + heard.

From football + -er. For the kyphosid sense, named for the resemblance of their stripes to football uniforms.

From Late Latin starrum, borrowed from Hebrew shetar, meaning a legal deed or document.

From Old Irish Mumu plus Old Norse staðr.

From German Elbe, tracing back to Proto-Germanic *albī.

Originally a variant of Latin amabilis ("lovable") — the same root behind "Mabel" — later reinterpreted by folk etymology as "Anna" plus French belle ("beautiful").

From "Rotte," the name of a river, plus "dam."

From nightmare + -ish.

From Ancient Greek Prōteús, the shape-shifting sea god of myth.

From hereabout plus the adverbial -s ending, similar to "always" or "besides."

From Old French l'Isle ("the island"), from Latin insula ("island") — the same root as "isle."

From Middle French restrictif. Morphologically restrict + -ive.

From knuckle + head, on the model of similar informal insults.

A straightforward compound of "bird" and "seed" — seed meant for birds.

From hack plus the adjective-forming suffix -y.

Formed from "wiggle" plus the adjective ending "-y."

Formed from tin plus the adjective-forming suffix -y.

Scottish Gaelic

Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic Dùn Dè ("good fort").

Formed from tele- ("far") and photo ("light/photograph").

From French ratatouille, from an Occitan word for the dish, ultimately linked to a word meaning "to stir."

From "sweat" plus the "-ing" ending, from Middle English sweting.

From the Californian city Monterey, itself borrowed from Spanish Monterrey ("mountain of the king"), from monte ("mountain") + rey ("king").