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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Likely an alteration of whisk, possibly from the idea of "whisking" up the cards after each round of play.

From Anglo-Norman bullion, of uncertain ultimate origin, possibly linked to French bouillon in the sense of "melting."

From drain + pipe.

Formed from the verb moisturize plus the agent suffix -er.

From French mont ("mountain"), itself from Latin mons — the same root behind English words like "mountain" and "promontory".

Named after Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya, a Mexican restaurateur who invented the dish in 1943 and named it after himself.

A clipped form of nymphomaniac.

From the French city name Bordeaux, itself traced back through Occitan and Latin "Burdigala" to an older Celtic name.

Built from "(hydr)oxy" plus "cod(eine)" plus the chemical suffix "-one," reflecting its structural relationship to codeine.

From Middle English cysour, altered from an earlier form of "scissors," influenced by the Latin word scindere, "to split."

Formed from senile plus the noun-forming suffix -ity.

The fish name comes from Dutch snoek ("pike").

From south + -bound (as in "heading toward").

From Middle English cokerie, built from cook plus the suffix -ery, the same pattern seen in "bakery" or "brewery."

Compound of love + craft.

Formed from Deborah plus the affectionate ending "-ie".

From Liz + -ie.

First recorded for Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204); the name's ultimate origin is debated, though it is often mistakenly linked to "Helen."

From miss plus the affectionate suffix -y.

Clipping of Catherine.

The metal is named after its American inventor, Isaac Babbitt (1799-1862); the "conformist" sense comes from the title character of Sinclair Lewis's 1922 novel Babbitt.

Coined in the eighteenth century from names such as Melanie and Melissa + -inda.

Borrowed from Somali mindí.

Formed from ruin plus the noun suffix -ation.