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 Middle English unresonable, from un- plus reasonable.

From loop plus the adjective-forming suffix -y.

Recorded in American English from 1709, possibly borrowed from an indigenous Central American or Caribbean language.

From Late Latin ambo, from Ancient Greek ambon.

From sound + track — originally the physical strip along a film reel that carried the recorded audio.

Built from over- + rated.

From Middle English merciles, formed from mercy plus -less, meaning literally "without mercy."

From Latin iniuriosus, "wrongful, injurious," from iniuria, "injustice."

From French couguar, borrowed from Portuguese, ultimately from an Old Tupi word for the animal.

A simple compound of "hay" and "ride."

Borrowed from French Nicole, the feminine form of Nicolas (Nicholas).

Likely an alteration of the older word brod, meaning "goad" or "spike," from Old Norse broddr.

Borrowed from French parfait, "perfect" — the same word that gives English "perfect."

From psycho- + somatic (relating to the body).

Borrowed from Japanese bentō, referring to the traditional lacquered lunchbox.

From Old French escuier, "shield-bearer," from Latin scutum, "shield" — the same root that gives us "escutcheon."

Imitative, indicating stupidity by mocking the speech of an intellectually disabled person.

From Middle English inlate, related to the verb inleten, "to let in."

Borrowed from Cantonese wan tan, meaning roughly "swallowing a cloud" — a poetic description of the dumpling floating in broth.

Directly from Latin vēna, "vein" — the same root that gives English "vein".

Borrowed from Spanish cabeza, meaning "head."

Borrowed directly from Spanish muchacho, meaning "boy" or "young man."

Borrowed from Latin sparsus, "scattered."

Borrowed from Spanish chico ("small; boy"), also used as a diminutive nickname for "Francisco."