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 Old English "saepig," meaning "full of sap," built from sap plus "-y."

From "Scots" plus "man."

From Old Norse Valhǫll, combining valr ("the slain") and hǫll ("hall").

From bugle + the agent suffix -er, "one who does."

From wolf plus bane ("cause of harm"), translating an Ancient Greek term meaning "wolf-killer" — the plant was traditionally used to poison wolves.

From Navajo anaasazi, roughly "ancient enemy" — a name given by a neighbouring people rather than the group’s own name for itself.

From "key" (in the sense of something that unlocks access) plus "word".

From "day" plus "care" — care provided during the daytime while parents are at work.

From shoe + box.

From Old French forestier, from forest + -ier.

From Latin nōtificātiō, via Old French notification.

From un- ("not") plus disturbed, the past participle of disturb.

A compound of "sweat" and "shirt."

Formed from statistical plus the adverb ending -ly.

Possibly connected to "wavey," an old regional word for the snow goose, imitating the bird's call.

From "behold" plus the agent suffix "-er" — one who beholds.

From "skillful" plus the adverb ending "-ly."

Modern combination of Julie + Anna, perhaps sometimes intended as a form of Juliana.

From "acre" plus the noun ending "-age."

From unfair plus -ly.

From German Luther, most famously associated with the reformer Martin Luther.

From Middle English lenge, of Germanic origin and possibly related to "long," describing the fish's slender shape.

From Old French fraileté, from Latin fragilitās — a doublet of "fragility."

From Latin fragilitās, a doublet of "frailty."