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 French idiotie, from Old French idiot.

Originally the brand name Muzak, coined in the 1930s by blending "music" with the "-ak" ending of Kodak, a famous brand at the time.

From a Powhatan (Native American) word meaning "dried fruit."

A compound of dialect dumble (similar to "bumble") and dor, an old word for a buzzing flying insect.

From Spanish enchilada, literally "seasoned with chili," from enchilar ("to add chili to").

From Middle French bombardier, related to bombard.

From French émeri, ultimately from Italian smeriglio, a name for the abrasive mineral.

From embezzle + -er.

Borrowed from Hindi-Urdu gorā, meaning "fair-skinned" or "white."

From the stock character Harlequin in Italian commedia dell'arte, whose name traces back through French to an older, obscure figure once linked to a legendary demon or spirit.

From geo- plus -logy plus the adjective suffix -ical.

From Old French governance, built from the verb "govern" plus the noun ending "-ance".

The surname derives from medieval forms of Adam or Adrian.

Respelling of Sammy.

From Old English myndlēas, built from mind plus the negating suffix "-less".

From the Slavic diminutive form of Alexander and Alexandra, via Russian Са́ша (Sáša).

Named after Allan Pinkerton (1819-1884), the Scottish-American detective who founded the Pinkerton National Detective Agency in Chicago.

Coined in French in 1834 by Auguste Comte, combining Latin socius ("companion") with the Greek suffix -logia ("study of").

Formed from freak plus the adjective-forming suffix -y.

From Greek Antarēs, meaning roughly "rival of Ares (Mars)" — because its red colour made ancient skywatchers compare it to the red planet.

From Scottish Gaelic. Cognate of John; see there for more.

From Latin Pollux, itself from the Ancient Greek Polydeukes, one of the mythological twin brothers known as the Dioscuri.

From Latin Pleiades, from Greek Pleiades. The astronomical name replaced the older Old English term "seofonstierre" (literally "the seven stars").

Onomatopoeic — it simply imitates the sound described. The computing sense is unrelated in origin.