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 renovare, "to renew," from re- + novare ("to make new").

From Latin intestinalis, from intestinum, "intestine."

From "heart" + "broken" — the heart pictured as literally shattered by grief.

From the surname Jenkins, itself from the medieval given name Jenkin ("little John"). The flatterer sense comes from stock servant characters named Jenkins in older English fiction and theatre.

From French incompétence, from in- ("not") + competence.

From "skin" plus the agent suffix "-er."

From intern plus the suffix -ship.

From live/life + the suffix -en, "to make"; often felt as a shortened form of enliven.

Simply live + the suffix -able, "capable of being."

Named after Antonio José de Sucre, a leading general of South American independence.

From land + owner.

From German Schilling, from Proto-Germanic *skillingaz — a doublet of the English word "shilling".

A shortened form of latissimus dorsi.

From Bulgarian lev, "lion" — the currency was named after the animal, as with several other national currencies.

From main + sail.

From Old French pincier, "to pinch."

The surname is borrowed from Irish Ó Coinn ("descendant of Chief").

Past participle of "sweeten," formed by adding "-ed."

Borrowed from Italian amaro, "bitter" — a nod to the drink's sharp, herbal flavour.

From Thai bàat, itself from a Pali word for a quarter-value coin, ultimately traced to a Sanskrit word meaning "quarter".

From the Irish surname Ó Caiside, from cas meaning "curly-haired".

German for "October festival" — although it actually starts in September, the name stuck from its original date.

From ramble + -er.

From short (meaning "crumbly", as of pastry) + bread.