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 Medieval Latin infiltratus, ultimately from in- ("into") plus filtrare ("to filter").

Borrowed from Māori ake, used in English mainly as an archaic or dialectal adverb meaning 'forever.'

A transparent compound of light + house, naming a structure built to house a warning light.

A softened phonetic alteration of "bitch", influenced by African American speech patterns.

From Middle English foremon, equivalent to fore- + man.

From tranquilize + -er.

From Proto-Germanic elements meaning "Ing" (a Germanic god) and "raven."

A medieval English and Irish form of the Germanic given names Gerard and Gerald. Of Old High German origin.

From late Middle English, related to a dialect word "slent," probably from Old Norse; likely influenced by the word "aslant."

Named after the physicist George Gabriel Stokes.

From lop ("to hang loosely to one side") plus side and the adjective ending -ed.

From Latin debitum, "what is owed" — the same root that gives us "debt" (they are doublets, two words descended from the same Latin source).

Partly from Middle French révulsion and partly directly from Latin revulsio, "a tearing away".

Clipping of Robert, Roberta + -y.

By surface analysis, Robert + -a.

Short for "direct message" in the messaging sense, and for "dungeon master" in the gaming sense.

Likely a variant of "ramp," an old word for rearing up or acting wildly.

From trade + the suffix -s-man, following the same pattern as "craftsman" or "workman."

From Latin tractus (past participle of trahere, "to pull") plus -io, forming a noun meaning "the act of pulling."

From French toxicologie, combining the Greek-derived toxico- ("poison") with -logy ("study of").

From "multi-" (many) plus "national."

From Spanish poncho, itself from Quechua punchu, the traditional South American garment.

From Old French pinceure, from pincier, "to pinch."

From French hygiénique, based on "hygiene."