Online Etymology Dictionary

aerobics: method of exercise and a fad in early 1980s, Amer.Eng., coined 1968 by Kenneth H. Cooper, U.S. physician, from aerobic (q.v.) on the notion of activities which require modest oxygen intake and thus can be maintained.
aerodynamics: 1837, from Gk. aero- "air" (comb. form) + dynamics (q.v.). Probably modeled on Fr. aérodynamique or Ger. aerodynamische.
aeronautics: 1824, from aeronautic (1784), from Fr. aéronautique, from aéro- (from Gk. aer "air") + nautique "of ships," from L. nauticus, from Gk. nautikos. Originally of balloons.
aeroplane: 1866, from Fr. aéroplane (1855), from Gk. aero- "air" + stem of Fr. planer "to soar," from L. planus "level, flat" (see plane (1)). Originally in ref. to surfaces (such as the protective shell casings of beetles' wings); meaning "heavier than air flying machine" first attested 1873, probably an independent Eng. coinage (see airplane).
aerosol: 1923, from Gk. aero- "air" (combining form) + solution. A term in physics, modern commercial application is from 1940s.
aerospace: 1958, Amer.Eng., from aero- "atmosphere" + (outer) space.
Aeschylus: Gk. Aiskhylos, Athenian soldier, poet, and playwright, Father of Tragedy (525-456 B.C.E.).
Aesir: chief gods of Scand. religion, from O.N. pl. of ass "god," related to O.E. os, Goth. ans "god" (see Oswald).
Aesop: Gk. Aisopos, semi-legendary 6c. B.C.E. fablist. Aesopic is attested from 1927 in ref. to Soviet literary censorship: it refers to an obscure or ambiguous writing, often allegorical, which disguises dissent. The term (Rus. ezopovskii, 1875) arose under the Tsars and the style was used by Russian communists. Once they took power the word was applied by them as a charge against their own dissidents.
aesthetic: 1798, from Ger. ästhetisch or Fr. esthétique, both from Gk. aisthetikos "sensitive," from aisthanesthai "to perceive, to feel," from PIE *awis-dh-yo-, from base *au- "to perceive." Popularized in Eng. by translation of Immanuel Kant, and used originally in the classically correct sense "the science which treats of the conditions of sensuous perception." Kant had tried to correct the term after Baumgarten had taken it in Ger. to mean "criticism of taste" (1750s), but Baumgarten's sense attained popularity in Eng. c.1830s (despite scholarly resistance) and removed the word from any philosophical base. Walter Pater used it (1868) to describe the late 19c. movement that advocated "art for art's sake," which further blurred the sense. Aesthete first recorded 1881, from Gk. aisthetes "one who perceives."
aesthetics: 1803, from aesthetic (q.v.).
afanc: cattle-devouring aquatic monster in Celtic countries, from Celt. *abankos "water-creature," from *ab- "water" (cf. Welsh afon, Breton aven "river," L. amnis "stream, river," which is of Italo-Celtic origin).
afar: M.E. of feor (c.1175), on ferr (c.1300), from O.E. feor "far," the a- representing both of and on compounds (which meant the same thing). Spelled afer in 14c.
afeared: O.E. afæred, pp. of now-obsolete afear (O.E. afæran) "to terrify," from a- (1) + root of fear. Used by Shakespeare, but supplanted in literary Eng. after 1700 by afraid (q.v.). It still survives in popular and colloquial speech.
affability: late 15c., from Fr. affabilité (14c.), noun of action from affable (see affable).
affable: late 15c., from O.Fr., from L. affabilis "kind, friendly," lit. "he who can be (easily) spoken to," from affari "to speak to," from ad- "to" + fari "to speak" (see fame).
affair: c.1300, "what one has to do," from Anglo-Norm. afere, from O.Fr. afaire, from the infinitive phrase à faire "to do" (from L. ad "to" + facere "to do, make;" see factitious). A Northern word originally, brought into general use and given a Fr. spelling by Caxton (15c.). General sense of "vague proceedings" (in romance, war, etc.) first attested 1702. Affairs "ordinary business" first attested 1484.
affect (n.): 14c., "mental state," from L. affectus, pp. of afficere "act on, have influence on, to do something to," a verb of broad meaning, from ad- "to" + facere (pp. factus) "do" (see factitious). The verb meaning "to make an impression on" is attested from 1630s.
affect (v.): "to make a pretense of," 1660s, earlier "to assume the character of (someone)" (1590s); originally in Eng. "to aim at, aspire to, make for" (late 15c.), from M.Fr. affecter (15c.), from L. affectare "to strive after, aim at," freq. of afficere (pp. affectus) "to do something to, act on" (see affect (n.)).
affectation: 1540s, "studied display," from L. affectationem (nom. affectatio) "a striving after," from affectare "to strive for" (see affect (v.)).
affected: pp. adj. from affect (v.); 1530s in the now-obs. sense "favorably disposed;" meaning "artificially displayed" is recorded from 1580s.
affection: early 13c., "an emotion of the mind, passion, lust as opposed to reason," from O.Fr. affection, from L. affectionem (nom. affectio) "inclination, influence, permanent state of feeling," from affec-, pp. stem of afficere "to do something to, act on" (see affect (n.)). Sense developed from "disposition" to "good disposition toward" (late 14c.).
affectionate: 1580s, "fond, loving," from affection (q.v.); early, now mostly obs., senses included "inclined" (1530s), "prejudiced" (1530s), "passionate" (1540s), "earnest" (c.1600). Other forms also used in the main modern sense of the word included affectious (1580s), affectuous (mid-15c.).
affiance (v.): 1520s, "to promise," from O.Fr. afiancer, from afier "to trust," from L.L. affidare, from ad- "to" + fidare "to trust," from fidus (see affidavit).
affidavit: 1590s, from M.L. affidavit, lit. "he has stated on oath," third person sing. perf. of affidare "to trust," from L. ad- "to" + fidare "to trust," from fidus "faithful," from fides "faith" (see faith). So called from being the first word of sworn statements.
affiliate (v.): 1761, from L. affiliat-, pp. stem of affiliare "to adopt" (see affiliation). Outside legal use, always fig. The noun is attested from 1879.
affiliation: 1751, "adoption," from Fr. affiliation, from M.L. affiliationem (nom. affiliatio), from L. affiliatus, pp. of affiliare "to adopt a son," from L. ad- "to" + filius "son" (see filial). Fig. sense of "adoption by a society, of branches" first recorded 1799 (affiliate in this sense is from 1761).
affinity: c.1300, "relation by mariage" (as opposed to consanguinity), from O.Fr. afinité, from L. affinitatem (nom. affinitas) "neighborhood, relationship by marriage," from affinis "adjacent," also "kin by marriage," lit. "bordering on," from ad- "to" + finis "a border, an end." Used figuratively since c.1600 of structural relationships in chemistry, philology, etc. Meaning "natural attraction" (as though by family) is from 1616.
affirm: early 14c., from O.Fr. afermer, from L. affirmare "to make steady, strengthen, corroborate," from ad- "to" + firmare "strengthen, make firm," from firmus "strong" (see firm (adj.)). Spelling refashioned 16c. on L. model.
affirmation: 1530s, from Fr. affirmation (14c.), from L. affirmationem (nom. affirmatio), noun of action from affirmare (see affirm). In law, as the Quaker alternative to oath-taking, it is attested from 1695.
affirmative: c.1500, from Fr. affirmatif (13c.), from L. affirmativus, from pp. stem of affirmare (see affirm). Meaning "answering yes" is from c.1400, from use in logic. Affirmative action "positive effort by employers to prevent discrimination in hiring or promotion" is attested from 1935 with regard to labor practices; specific racial sense is from 1961; now often used more generally in ref. to hiring quotas, etc.
affix: 1530s, from M.L. affixare, freq. of L. affigere (pp. affixus) "fasten to," from ad- "to" + figere "fasten" (see fix). First used by Scottish writers and perhaps from M.Fr. affixer, a temporarily re-Latinized spelling of O.Fr. afichier (modern Fr. afficher).
afflatus: "miraculous communication of supernatural knowledge," 1660s, from L. afflatus "a breathing upon, blast," from pp. stem of afflare "to blow upon," from ad- "to" + flare "to blow" (see blow (v.1)).
afflict: late 14c., "to cast down," from O.Fr. afflicter, from L. afflictare "to damage, harass, torment," freq. of affligere (pp. afflictus) "to dash down, overthrow," from ad- "to" + fligere (pp. flictus) "to strike," from PIE base *bhlig- "to strike" (cf. Gk. phlibein "to press, crush," Czech blizna "scar," Welsh blif "catapult"). Transf. meaning of "trouble, distress," is first recorded 1530s.
affliction: c.1300, from O.Fr. aflicion, from L. afflictionem (nom. afflictio), noun of action from pp. stem of affligere (see afflict).
affluence: mid-15c., "a flowing toward, an abundance," from O.Fr. affluence, from L. affluentia, noun of state from affluentem "flowing toward," prp. of affluere (see affluent). Sense of "wealth" attested from c.1600, from notion of "a plentiful flow" (of the gifts of fortune).
affluent: mid-15c., "flowing," from L. affluentem (nom. affluens), prp. of affluere "flow toward," from ad- "to" + fluere "to flow" (see fluent). Notion of "a plentiful flow" (of the gifts of fortune) led to affluence in the sense of "wealth," first recorded c.1600.
afford: O.E. geforðian "to advance," from ge- completive prefix (see a- (1)) + forðian "to further," from forð "forward, onward." Change of -th- to -d- was 16c. (and also transformed burthen and murther into their modern forms). Prefix shift to af- took place 16c. under mistaken belief that it was a L. word in ad-. Notion of "accomplish" (late O.E.) gradually became "manage to buy or maintain; have enough money (to do something)" (1833). Older sense is preserved in afford (one) an opportunity. Related: Affordable (1866).
affray (n.): c.1300, "state of alarm produced by a sudden disturbance," from O.Fr. effrei, esfrei "disturbance, fright," from Gallo-Romance *exfridare, lit. "to take out of peace," from L. ex- "out of" + Frankish *frithu "peace," from P.Gmc. *frithuz "consideration, forbearance," from PIE base *pri- "to be friendly, love" (cf. O.C.S. prijati "to aid, help," Skt. prija- "beloved;" see free). Meaning "breach of the peace, riotous fight in public" is from 1482. Related verb afrey (early 14c.) survives almost exclusively in its pp., afraid (q.v.).
affright: 1580s, a late construction from a- (1) + fright (v.), probably on model of earlier pp. adj. affright "struck with sudden fear" (O.E. afyrht).
affront (v.): early 14c., from O.Fr. afronter "to face, confront," lit. "to strike on the forehead," from L.L. affrontare "to strike against," from L. ad frontem "to the face," from frons (gen. frontis) "forehead." The noun is c.1600, from the verb.
Afghan: name of the people of Afghanistan, technically only correctly applied to the Durani Afghans; Old Afghan chronicles trace the name to an Afghana, son of Jeremiah, sone of Israelite King Saul, from whom they claimed descent, but this is a legend. The name is first attested in Arabic in al-'Utbi's "History of Sultan Mahmud" written c.1030 C.E. and was in use in India from 13c. Attested from 1833 as a type of blanket or wrap (in full, Afghan shawl); 1973 as a style of sheepskin coat; 1877 as a type of carpet; 1895 as a breed of hunting dog.
aficionado: 1845, from Sp., "amateur," spec. "devotee of bullfighting," lit. "fond of," from aficion "affection," from L. affectionem (see affection).
afield: 1590s, from O.E. on felda, M.E. in felde, from a- "on" (see a- (1)) + field (q.v.).
afire: c.1200, afure, from a- "on" (see a- (1)) + fire (q.v.).
aflame: 1550s, from a- "on" (see a- (1)) + flame (q.v.).
afloat: O.E. aflote, from a- "on" (see a- (1)) + float (q.v.).
afoot: c.1200, afote, from a- "on" (see a- (1)) + foot (q.v.). Fig. sense of "in active operation" is c.1600 (first recorded in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar").
afore: O.E. onforan, from phrase on foran, from on (prep) + foran (adv.) "in front," dative of for (q.v.). In some cases probably it represents O.E. ætforan "at-fore." Once the literary equivalent of before, now it has mostly been replaced by that word except in nautical use and in combinations such as aforesaid and aforethought.
aforementioned: 1580s, from afore + p.p. of mention.