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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Derived from "chip" plus the suffix -y.

Coined in French by chemist Jean-Baptiste Dumas in 1834, blending "chloride" and "formyl" (a chemical group from formic acid).

From Spanish (danza) conga, "Congo dance", named for its sub-Saharan African roots.

From Spanish coronado, meaning "crowned."

From Spanish cucaracha, literally "cockroach."

From "frog" plus the diminutive/adjective ending "-y".

A compound of head and mistress, the female counterpart of headmaster.

From Medieval Latin Hippocraticus, from the name Hippocrates.

From huge plus the adverb-forming ending -ly.

From Old French imprenable, "impossible to capture," from im- + prenable ("takable," from prendre, "to take"). The "g" was added later by analogy with words like reign and deign.

From Anglo-Norman suytour, ultimately from Late Latin secutor, "follower, pursuer" — related to suit and pursue.

From the German surname, from Kohl (“cabbage”). Compare Koehl, Cole, Coll, Kail, Kale.

resourcefulness

From "resourceful" plus "-ness".

A straightforward compound of "jail" and "break," originally meaning a literal prison escape before being extended to devices and, more recently, AI systems.

From land + fall — literally the point where the sea "falls" away into land.

From arson + -ist, "one who does."

From Old French, from Frankish *Hrōþiland, literally "fame-land"; a doublet of Orlando.

Origin uncertain — possibly related to limb or limp, formed with the -er ending as in slipper or clever.

Formed from life + saving, describing the practice of preventing loss of life.

From in- ("not") + decisive, ultimately from Latin decidere, "to cut off, settle."

From wail + -ing.

From knight plus the -hood ending, tracing back to Old English cnihthād.

A shortened, informal form of "Mercedes" (the car) or "mercenary."

A clipped form of "narcoleptic".