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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See cream (verb)

From un- ("not") plus ending.

As a computing term, short for "secure shell."

From feature + the ending -ed, turning the noun into a descriptive adjective.

From frustrate plus the ending -ing.

From Middle English graciously, from gracious plus -ly.

From Latin nuptialis, "pertaining to marriage", from nuptiae, "wedding".

From symbolical + -ly or symbolic + -ally.

From chamber ("room") + maid — literally a maid who looks after a bedroom.

From "key" and "pad", describing a compact panel of number or function keys.

From manage plus the suffix -able ("capable of").

The adverb form of uncontrollable, built with the usual -ly ending.

From Italian, the plural of tortellino, a "little twist" of pasta.

Formed from tremendous plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

From Sanskrit kāvya.

Simply harvest plus the agent suffix "-er" — someone or something that does the harvesting.

Formed from steel + -y.

From thin plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

Formed from courageous plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

From Spanish Aragón.

From Old French roche, "rock," related to the modern English word "rock."

From Latin aequatus, past participle of aequare ("to make equal"), from aequus ("equal").

From an Old English personal name plus dūn, "hill" — so roughly "somebody's hill".

Borrowed from German Strudel, meaning "whirlpool" — a nod to the swirled, rolled shape of the pastry.