Specialist dictionary

Etymology

Core terminology for the history, development and derivation of words.

Areas within Etymology

Etymology

Core terminology for the history, development and derivation of words.

54 words

Roots and affixes

Vocabulary for roots, stems, prefixes, suffixes and combining forms.

65 words

Borrowing and loanwords

Terms for words borrowed, translated or adapted between languages.

108 words

Semantic change

Processes by which word meanings broaden, narrow, improve, deteriorate or shift.

63 words

Historical word formation

Compounding, derivation, clipping, blending, back-formation and other ways words arise.

107 words

Greek and Latin origins

Terminology for classical roots and the Greek and Latin contribution to English.

70 words

Germanic origins

Old English, Norse and wider Germanic contributions to English vocabulary.

56 words

French and Romance origins

French, Latin and Romance-language influence on English vocabulary.

26 words

Core vocabulary

56 featured terms

The database can contain more terms than shown here; this page prioritises the strongest mappings.

Ancestrynoun

the hereditary derivation of an individual; "his entire lineage has been warriors"

Birthplacenoun

where something originated or was nurtured in its early existence; "the birthplace of civilization"

Bloodnoun

the hereditary derivation of an individual; "his entire lineage has been warriors"

Blood kinshipnoun

(anthropology) the condition of being related by blood

Blood linenoun

the hereditary derivation of an individual; "his entire lineage has been warriors"

Bloodlinenoun

the hereditary derivation of an individual; "his entire lineage has been warriors"

Cognatenoun

a word is cognate with another if both derive from the same word in an ancestral language

Cognate wordnoun

a word is cognate with another if both derive from the same word in an ancestral language

Cognationnoun

(anthropology) the condition of being related by blood

Consanguinitynoun

(anthropology) the condition of being related by blood

Cradlenoun

where something originated or was nurtured in its early existence; "the birthplace of civilization"

Derivationnoun

the source or origin from which something derives (i.e. comes or issues); "he prefers shoes of Italian derivation"; "music of Turkish derivation"

Derivativenoun

(linguistics) a word that is derived from another word; "‘electricity’ is a derivative of ‘electric’"

Descentnoun

the hereditary derivation of an individual; "his entire lineage has been warriors"

Diachronic linguisticsnoun

the study of linguistic change; "the synchrony and diachrony of language"

Diachronynoun

the study of linguistic change; "the synchrony and diachrony of language"

Etymologicaladjective

based on or belonging to etymology; "I merely drew an etymological distinction"

Etymologistnoun

a lexicographer who specializes in etymology

Etymologynoun

the study of the sources and development of words

Etymonnoun

a simple form inferred as the common basis from which related words in several languages can be derived by linguistic processes

Genealogynoun

the study or investigation of ancestry and family history

Historicaladjective

of or relating to the study of history; "historical scholars"; "a historical perspective"

Historical linguisticsnoun

the study of linguistic change; "the synchrony and diachrony of language"

Historynoun

the continuum of events occurring in succession leading from the past to the present and even into the future; "all of human history"

Lexicaladjective

of or relating to words; "lexical decision task"

Linenoun

the hereditary derivation of an individual; "his entire lineage has been warriors"

Line of descentnoun

the hereditary derivation of an individual; "his entire lineage has been warriors"

Lineagenoun

the hereditary derivation of an individual; "his entire lineage has been warriors"

Linguisticsnoun

the humanistic study of language and literature

Originnoun

the hereditary derivation of an individual; "his entire lineage has been warriors"

Originnoun

the source of something's existence or from which it derives or is derived; "the rumor had its origin in idle gossip"; "vegetable origins"; "min…

Parentagenoun

the hereditary derivation of an individual; "his entire lineage has been warriors"

Pedigreenoun

the hereditary derivation of an individual; "his entire lineage has been warriors"

Philologynoun

the humanistic study of language and literature

Place of originnoun

where something originated or was nurtured in its early existence; "the birthplace of civilization"

Provenancenoun

where something originated or was nurtured in its early existence; "the birthplace of civilization"

Proveniencenoun

where something originated or was nurtured in its early existence; "the birthplace of civilization"

Referencenoun

a publication (or a passage from a publication) that is referred to; "he carried an armful of references back to his desk"; "he spent hours look…

Rootnoun

a simple form inferred as the common basis from which related words in several languages can be derived by linguistic processes

Sourcenoun

a publication (or a passage from a publication) that is referred to; "he carried an armful of references back to his desk"; "he spent hours look…

Stemmanoun

the hereditary derivation of an individual; "his entire lineage has been warriors"

Stocknoun

the hereditary derivation of an individual; "his entire lineage has been warriors"

Derivationnoun

(historical linguistics) an explanation of the historical origins of a word or phrase

Derivingnoun

(historical linguistics) an explanation of the historical origins of a word or phrase

Etymologizingnoun

(historical linguistics) an explanation of the historical origins of a word or phrase

Compoundnoun

a word (as anthropology, kilocycle, builder) consisting of any of various combinations of words, combining forms, or affixes.; "Also common in E…

Compound wordnoun

a word (as anthropology, kilocycle, builder) consisting of any of various combinations of words, combining forms, or affixes.; "Also common in E…

Dialectologynoun

the branch of philology that is devoted to the study of dialects

Familynoun

people descended from a common ancestor; "his family has lived in Massachusetts since the Mayflower"

Folknoun

people descended from a common ancestor; "his family has lived in Massachusetts since the Mayflower"

Kinsfolknoun

people descended from a common ancestor; "his family has lived in Massachusetts since the Mayflower"

Lexicologynoun

the branch of linguistics that studies the lexical component of language

Phratrynoun

people descended from a common ancestor; "his family has lived in Massachusetts since the Mayflower"

Plebeianismnoun

The quality or state of being of or pertaining to the common people; of being vulgar, common.; "The plebeianism of his father showed itself in t…

Septnoun

people descended from a common ancestor; "his family has lived in Massachusetts since the Mayflower"

Sidenoun

a family line of descent; "he gets his brains from his father's side"