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 ovulate + -ion.

From Old English stiepel, "tower," related to steep — likely from the sense of something rising sharply upward.

From Latin retrospicere, "to look back at."

Borrowed from Spanish fandango; its ultimate origin is unclear, though some link it to West African or Portuguese roots.

A shortening of "sleuthhound," an old word for a bloodhound used to track people.

Borrowed from Irish Niall or Scottish Gaelic Niall, ultimately from Old Irish Níall, of uncertain original meaning. Suggestions include nél (“cloud”) and nïa (“champion”), which is from Proto-Indo-European *h₃neyd- (“to revile”). Doublet of Neil.

Unclear. See Timbuktu § Toponymy.

Borrowed from French Danielle, the feminine form of Daniel.

A combination of "tight" and "rope," describing a rope pulled taut for balancing acts.

From "tight" plus the noun-forming suffix "-ness."

From Old English daeling, formed from deal plus -ing.

From Latin prīmōrdiālis, "of the beginning."

From Latin Tiberis.

Deverbal from throw back.

A shortened form of "delicatessen," in use since the 1950s.

From German Delikatessen, "delicacies," itself borrowed from French délicatesse.

From thorough (in the sense of "complete") plus bred.

Borrowed from Hebrew menorah ("lamp stand"), from a Semitic root meaning "light" — the same root behind the word "minaret."

From Latin refrigerare, "to make cold again."

From Old French martel, going back to Latin martulus, a diminutive of "hammer" — the same root gives French marteau.

A simple compound of "track" (as in running track) and "suit."

From sub- ("under, secondary") plus let, in the sense of "to rent out."

From home + made.

From Middle English withal, built from with plus al ("all"), and used to replace the older Old English phrase mid ealle.