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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Formed from tingle + -y.

From "Li-Lo," the trademark of a company that made rubberized-canvas air mattresses from the 1940s to the 1970s — itself a playful respelling of "lie low."

The name comes from Russian, as a pet form of Tatiana.

Borrowed from Japanese sakura, "cherry tree."

Usually interpreted as the feminine form of the saints' name Martin, though there was an identical Roman name, likewise derived from Latin Martinus.

Named after King John V of Portugal ("Johannes" being the Latin form of "John"), whose portrait appeared on the coin.

From Clancy of the Overflow, a character in a poem of that name (also in The Man from Snowy River) by Australian poet Banjo Patterson.

From French chaperon, originally a type of hood, from chape ("cape, hood").

Borrowed from Latin Calēdonia.

From Old English dysiġnes, related to dizzy plus the suffix -ness.

From Greek lepra, "scaly disease," describing the flaking skin symptoms of leprosy.

From Latin astrologicus + -al. By surface analysis, astrology + -ical.

From New Latin ventricularis, from ventriculus ("ventricle").

A compound of station and master.

From meteor + -ite, a suffix often used for rocks and minerals.

Borrowed from French concierge, "caretaker, doorkeeper" — probably ultimately from Latin cōnservus, "fellow servant."

From Old French pimpinelle, traced back to a Medieval Latin word possibly linked to "pepper," due to the plant's peppercorn-like seeds.

Clipped from "motocross" or "motorcycle."

From Moroccan Arabic "kīf," ultimately from Arabic "kayf" meaning "pleasure" or "joy."

From Italian portafoglio ("carry-sheet"), from Latin portare ("to carry") and folium ("leaf, sheet"). The "government responsibility" sense developed later, by the 1930s.

From Late Latin praetensus, past participle of Latin praetendere ("to pretend"), from prae- ("before") + tendere ("to stretch").

From Latin strenuus, meaning vigorous or quick.

From symmetry + -ical.

From French demi ("half"), from Latin dimidius.