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 Late Latin sensualitas, "capacity for sensation," from sensualis.

From "surreal" + "-ist".

From Irish seamróg, a diminutive of the word for clover.

From Old Norse bón, "a prayer or request," later blending with an unrelated word meaning "good" — which is why "boon" now means a helpful gift or blessing.

From Middle French confédération, from Latin cōnfoederātiō — a doublet of "confederacy."

From opportunist plus the adjective suffix "-ic."

From Latin obsidianus (lapis), traditionally said to be named after a Roman called Obsidius who was credited with discovering the stone.

From Medieval Latin radialis, based on Latin radius, "spoke" or "ray".

From "blow" + "hole."

From chop plus the adjective-forming suffix -y.

A compound of "fog" and "horn."

A compound of "mother" and "board", in use since the mid-1960s, on the idea that other circuit boards plug into it.

Italian · 1880

Originally a trademarked cereal name from the 1880s (first called "Granula"), likely from Italian grano, "grain."

Built from saint + -hood, the suffix meaning "state or condition of."

From "mid-" + "term".

From Latin exterminator, "one who destroys", formed from exterminate plus -or.

See Pulitzer Prize.

Borrowed from French regrouper, from re- + group.

Borrowed from German Schnaps.

A straightforward compound of board and walk.

Formed from buzz + -er, "the thing that buzzes."

From stun + -ed.

From Old Norse dasaðr, meaning "weary," which evolved in English into the sense of being stunned or confused.

From the Latin praenomen Titus, thought to mean "honorable" or "strong."