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 sensation + -al.

From supplement + -al.

From reflect plus the adjective-forming suffix -ive.

From Old Norse þrift, "thriving condition" — thrift originally meant prosperity itself, before it narrowed to mean the careful habits that lead to it.

From Latin operativus, from operari, "to work" — the same family as "operate" and "operation."

From Middle English drippen, druppen, from Old English drypan, from Proto-Germanic *drupjaną (“to fall in drops, drip”), from Proto-Germanic *drupô (“drop”). Akin to West Frisian drippe (“to drip”), Dutch druipen, druppelen (“to drip”), German Low German drüppen (“to drip”), German tropfen, tröpfeln (“to drip”), Norwegian Bokmål dryppe, Norwegian Nynorsk drypa (“to drip”).

From Old French debatable, built from "debate" + the suffix "-able."

From French rufian, borrowed from Italian ruffiano, originally meaning "pimp."

From the verb "challenge" plus the suffix "-ing."

Formed from postpone plus the noun suffix -ment.

From Old French piteable, from pity + -able.

From Old English āuht, the same root that gives "aught."

From Old French entrailles, ultimately from Latin interanea, "internal parts," related to inter, "within."

By surface analysis, correspond + -ing.

From offer plus the suffix -ing.

From organ (“musical instrument”) + -ize, calque of German organisierte/organisirte.

From Japanese kendō, literally "the way of the sword", combining characters for "sword" and "way" or "path".

A compound of "book" and "shelf."

From cute + the diminutive suffix -ie.

From Arabic salām, "peace" — the same root that gives Hebrew "shalom."

From Canadian French la crosse, meaning "the stick," referring to the curved stick used in the game.

Borrowed from French rendez-vous, "present yourselves" — from the imperative of se rendre, "to go (to a place)."

From Middle English snowy, snawy; from Old English snāwiġ. By surface analysis, snow + -y.

By surface analysis, beat + -ing.