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 appellatus, "called upon" or "addressed" — the same root that gives us "appeal."

From alarming + the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

From Latin ascendens, the present participle of ascendere ("to climb, rise") — the same root as "ascend."

Borrowed from German Luppe, meaning "a lump of iron."

Borrowed from Japanese moe (萌え), literally "budding" or "sprouting," from the verb moeru, "to bud" or "sprout."

From dismiss plus the adjective-forming suffix -ive.

From the same root as barbarian and barbaric, ultimately Greek barbaros ("foreigner").

From "arbitrary" plus the adverb-forming suffix "-ly".

From Middle English hank, of Scandinavian origin, related to Old Norse hǫnk.

An anglicization of French Diane, from Latin Diāna. Doublet of Diana

From unquestionable + -ly.

Borrowed from French émergence; a doublet of emergency, both ultimately from Latin emergere.

From squeak + the adjective suffix -y.

The tree sense comes from Japanese kaya.

From Middle English ladyschipe, built from lady plus the suffix -ship (as in "lordship" and "friendship").

Formed from posthumous plus the adverb suffix -ly.

From pocket + -ful.

From "presbyter" (an elder in the early church), from Greek presbyteros, "older man."

Formed from re- ("again") plus capture.

From Latin innovare, "to renew" — in- ("into") plus novus ("new").

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

From Old French Loherraine, from Latin Lotharingia, named after the medieval ruler Lothair II.

From Middle English recoveryng; equivalent to recover + -ing.

Borrowed from French motocross, a blend of moto ("motorcycle") and English cross-country.