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 Latin basaltes, likely a scribal error for basanites, from Greek basanos, "touchstone" — itself borrowed from an Egyptian word for a hard stone.

Borrowed directly from Māori tūī, the bird's original name.

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

From Tagalog tita, itself borrowed from Spanish tita.

Borrowed into Northumbrian Old English from Old Norse várr ("our"), sharing the same Proto-Germanic root as standard English "our."

From Ancient Greek Ὀλυμπία (Olumpía), related to Olympus.

See also Tagalog lolo.

From Italian alla carbonara, "in the style of the charcoal burners," from carbone, "coal."

From Italian bolognese, literally "from Bologna."

From ground plus hog.

From Latin auditor, "hearer," from audire, "to hear."

From Latin Lūcianus, a derivative of the Roman praenomen Lūcius, from lūx ("light").

From auto- ("self") plus immune, describing the immune system turning against the body itself.

From east plus -bound ("heading toward").

From "north" plus "-bound," meaning "heading toward."

From sub- ("under, within") plus section.

As a surname, a romanization of a Chinese family name written 劉/刘, shared with the alternate spelling Luu.

From an old Germanic name meaning "bold friend."

From bush plus the adjective-forming suffix -y — literally "like a bush."

Built from west plus the suffix -bound, which marks direction of travel (as in "homebound" or "outbound").

A blend of aero- ("air") and space.

Medieval Latin · 1657

From Medieval Latin substantiatus, "given substance," first used in English in 1657.

From "project" plus the agent suffix "-or."

From Ancient Greek δάφνη (dáphnē, "laurel, bay tree"), tied to the myth of the nymph Daphne.