Online Etymology Dictionary

patrician (n.): early 15c., "member of the ancient Roman noble order," from M.Fr. patricien, from L. patricius "of the rank of the nobles, of the senators," from patres conscripti "Roman senators," lit. "fathers," pl. of pater "father." Contrasted, in ancient Rome, with plebeius. Applied to noble citizens and higher orders of free folk in medieval It. and Ger. cities (sense attested in English from 1610s); hence "nobleman, aristocrat" in a modern sense (1630s). As an adjective, attested from 1610s, from the noun.
patricide: 1. "person who kills his father" (1593), 2. "act of killing one's father" (1625), from M.Fr. patricide, in both senses, from 1. L. patricida, 2. L. patricidium, from pater "father" + 1. cida "killer," 2. cidium "killing" (see -cide).
patricide: 1593, from M.Fr. patricide, 1. "person who kills his father," 2. "act of killing one's father," from 1. L. patricida, 2. L. patricidium, from pater "father" + 1. cida "killer," 2. cidium "killing."
Patrick: masc. proper name, from O.Ir. Patraicc, from L. Patricius, lit. "a patrician" (see patrician). As a given name, chiefly in northern England and Scotland, in Ireland only a popular name after 1600, due probably to the Scots settlers in Ulster. [Reaney]
patrimony: mid-14c., "property of the Church," also "spiritual legacy of Christ," from O.Fr. patrimonie (12c.), from L. patrimonium "a paternal estate, inheritance," from pater (gen. patris) "father" + -monium, suffix signifying action, state, condition. Meaning "property inherited from a father or ancestors" is attested from late 14c. Fig. sense of "immaterial things handed down from the past" is from 1580s. A curious sense contrast to matrimony.
patriot: 1590s, "compatriot," from M.Fr. patriote (15c.), from L.L. patriota "fellow-countryman" (6c.), from Gk. patriotes "fellow countryman," from patrios "of one's fathers," patris "fatherland," from pater (gen. patros) "father," with -otes, suffix expressing state or condition. Meaning "loyal and disinterested supporter of one's country" is attested from c.1600, but became an ironic term of ridicule or abuse from mid-18c. in England, so that Johnson, who at first defined it as "one whose ruling passion is the love of his country," in his fourth edition added, "It is sometimes used for a factious disturber of the government."
"The name of patriot had become [c.1744] a by-word of derision. Horace Walpole scarcely exaggerated when he said that ... the most popular declaration which a candidate could make on the hustings was that he had never been and never would be a patriot." [Macaulay, "Horace Walpole," 1833]
Somewhat revived in reference to resistance movements in overrun countries in WWII, it has usually had a positive sense in Amer.Eng., where the phony and rascally variety has been consigned to the word patrioteer (1928). Oriana Fallaci ["The Rage and the Pride," 2002] marvels that Americans, so fond of patriotic, patriot, and patriotism, lack the root noun and are content to express the idea of patria by cumbersome compounds such as homeland. (Joyce, Shaw, and H.G. Wells all used patria as an English word early 20c., but it failed to stick.)
patriotic: 1757, from patriot.
patriotism: 1726, from patriot + -ism.
patrol (n.): 1664, "action of going the rounds" (of a military camp, etc.), from Fr. patrouille "a night watch" (1539), from patrouiller "go the rounds to watch or guard," originally "tramp through the mud," probably soldiers' slang, from O.Fr. patouiller "paddle in water," probably from pate "paw, foot" (see patois). Compare paddlefoot, World War II U.S. Army slang for "infantry soldier." Meaning "those who go on a patrol" is from 1670. Sense of "detachment of soldiers sent out to scout the countryside, the enemy, etc." is attested from 1702. The verb first recorded 1691. Patrolman "police constable on a particular beat" is first recorded 1879, Amer.Eng.
patron: "a lord-master, a protector," c.1300, from O.Fr. patrun (12c.), from M.L. patronus "patron saint, bestower of a benefice, lord, master, model, pattern," from L. patronus "defender, protector, advocate," from pater (gen. patris) "father." Meaning "one who advances the cause" (of an artist, institution, etc.), usually by the person's wealth and power, is attested from late 14c.; "commonly a wretch who supports with insolence, and is paid with flattery" [Johnson]. Commercial sense of "regular customer" first recorded c.1600.
patronage: 1412, "right of presenting a qualified person to a church benefice," from M.L. patronizare (1382) or O.Fr. patroniser (1456); see patron. General sense of "power to give jobs or favors" is from 1769; meaning "regular business of customers" is 1804.
patronise: British spelling of patronize (q.v.); for suffix, see -ize.
patronize: 1580s, "to act as a patron towards," from patron (q.v.). Meaning "treat in a condescending way" is first attested 1797; sense of "give regular business to" is from 1801.
patronizing: 1727, from patronize. Related: Patronizingly.
patronymic (n.): 1612, from L.L. patronymicum, from neut. of patronymicus "derived from a father's name," from patronymos "named from the father," from pater (gen. patros) "father" + onyma "name."
patroon: 1662, variant of patron used in foreign contexts, from Du. patroon or Fr. patron "master, patron," from O.Fr. (see patron); used from 1758 in parts of N.Y. and N.J. colonies for "landholder," especially one with certain manorial privileges (abolished c.1850) under the old Dutch governments by the charter of 1629.
patsy: "fall guy, victim of a deception," 1903, of unknown origin, possibly an alteration of It. pazzo "madman" (see patch (2)), or south It. dial. paccio "fool." Another theory traces it to Patsy Bolivar, character in an 1880s minstrel skit who was blamed whenever anything went wrong.
patten: late 14c., from O.Fr. patin "clog" (13c.), probably from pate "paw, foot," from P.Celt. *patta, of imitative origin.
patter (1): "make quick taps," 1611, freq. of pat (n.).
patter (2): "talk rapidly," c.1400, from pater "mumble prayers rapidly" (c.1300), shortened form of paternoster (q.v.). Perhaps influenced by patter (1). The noun is first recorded 1758, originally "cant language of thieves and beggars."
pattern (n.): 1324, "the original proposed to imitation; the archetype; that which is to be copied; an exemplar" [Johnson], from O.Fr. patron, from M.L. patronus (see patron). Extended sense of "decorative design" first recorded 1582, from earlier sense of a "patron" as a model to be imitated. The difference in form and sense between patron and pattern wasn't firm till 1700s. Meaning "model or design in dressmaking" (especially one of paper) is first recorded 1792, in Jane Austen. Verb phrase pattern after "take as a model" is from 1878.
patty: 1694, in patti-pan "something baked in a small pan," from Fr. pâté, from O.Fr. paste (see paste (n.)).
paucity: c.1425, from O.Fr. paucité (14c.), from L. paucitatem (nom. paucitas) "fewness, scarcity," from paucus "few, little," from PIE base *pau- "few, little" (cf. L. paullus "little," parvus "little, small," pauper "poor;" O.E. feawe "few," fola "young horse;" O.N. fylja "young female horse").
Paul: masc. proper name, from L. Paulum (nom. Paulus), Roman surname of the Aemilian gens, lit. "small" (see paucity). Cf. O.Fr. Pol, It. Paolo, Sp. Pablo, Rus. Pavel.
paunch: late 12c., from O.Fr. pance (O.N.Fr. panche) "belly," from L. panticem (nom. pantex) "belly, bowels" (cf. Sp. panza, It. pancia); possibly related to panus "swelling." Related: Paunchy.
pauper: 1516, "person destitute of property or means of livelihood," from L. pauper "poor," from pre-L. *pavo-pars "getting little," from pau-, root of paucus "little" + parere "get, produce" (see pare). Originally in Eng. a legal word, from L. phrase in forma pauperis (1495) "in the character of a poor person."
pause (n.): 1426, from M.Fr. pause (14c.), from L. pausa "a halt, stop, cessation," from Gk. pausis "stopping, ceasing," from pauein "to stop, to cause to cease." The verb is from 1526.
pavan: "slow, stately dance," 1530s, from Fr. pavane (1524), probably from Sp. pavana, from pavo "peacock" (from L. pavo), in ref. to the bird's courting movements. But some see an Italian origin and trace the name to Padovana "Paduan." Possibly there was a merger of two distinct dance words.
pave: c.1310, "to cover with a pavement," from O.Fr. paver (12c.), from V.L. *pavare, from L. pavire "to beat, ram, tread down," from PIE *pau- "to cut, strike, stamp" (cf. L. putare "to prune"). The fig. sense of to pave the way is attested from 1585.
pavement: late 13c., from O.Fr. paviment, from L. pavimentum "beaten floor," from pavire (see pave).
pavilion: c.1300, "large, stately tent," from O.Fr. paveillun (12c.), from L. papilionem (nom. papilio) "tent," lit. "butterfly," on resemblance of wings. Of unknown origin. Meaning "open building in a park, etc., used for shelter or entertainment" is attested from 1687.
Pavlovian: 1931, from the theories, experiments, and methods of Rus. physiologist Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849-1936), especially in connection with the salivary reflexes of dogs to mental stimulus of the sound of a bell (attested from 1911, in Pavloff [sic] method).
paw (n.): c.1300, from O.Fr. powe, poe, of unknown origin. Evidence points to a root form *pauta, which probably is related to Prov. pauta, Catalan pote, M.Du. poot, Ger. Pfote "paw"). Celtic and Old Low Ger. have been proposed as the ultimate source, but evidence is wanting. The verb is 1604, from the noun.
pawn (1): "something left as security," 1496 (c.1145 as Anglo-L. pandum), from O.Fr. pan, pant "pledge, security," also "booty, plunder," perhaps from Frank. (cf. O.H.G. pfant, Ger. Pfand, M.Du. pant, O.Fris. pand "pledge"), from W.Gmc. *panda, of unknown origin. The O.Fr. word is identical to pan "cloth, piece of cloth," from L. pannem (nom. pannus) "piece of cloth," and some feel this is the source of both the O.Fr. and W.Gmc. words (perhaps on the notion of cloth used as a medium of exchange). The verb is first attested 1567, from the noun. Pawnbroker is from 1687; pawn-shop is from 1849.
pawn (2): "lowly chess piece," 1369, from Anglo-Fr. poun, O.Fr. peon, earlier pehon, from M.L. pedonem "foot soldier," from L.L. pedonem (nom. pedo) "one going on foot," from L. pes (gen. pedis) "foot" (see foot). The chess sense was in O.Fr. by 13c. Fig. use, of persons, is from 1589.
Pawnee: Indian tribes of Nebraska, 1778, from Canadian Fr. pani, from Ioway-Oto panyi.
pawpaw: see papaw.
pax: c.1440, "kiss of peace," from L. pax (gen. pacis) "peace," in Ecclesiastical L., "kiss of peace" (see peace). Capitalized, Pax was the name of the Roman goddess of peace. Used by 1933 with adjs. from national names, on model of Pax Romana (e.g. Pax Americana, 1967).
pay (v.): c.1200, "to appease, pacify, satisfy," from O.Fr. paiier (12c.), from L. pacare "to please, pacify, satisfy" (especially a creditor), from pax (gen. pacis) "peace." Meaning "to give what is due for goods or services" arose in M.L., was attested in Eng. by early 13c.; sense of "please, pacify" died out in Eng. by 1500. Sense of "suffer, endure" (a punishment, etc.) is first recorded late 14c. Payday first attested 1520s. Payphone first attested 1936.
pay (n.): "money given for labor or services," early 14c., from pay (v.). Payment is first attested late 14c., from O.Fr. paiement, from paiier.
payback: 1959, "net return on profits from an investment," from pay (v.) + back. Meaning "revenge" is attested from 1970.
paydirt: also pay dirt, "profit, success," 1873, from pay + dirt; a word from mining, where it was used in a literal sense from 1856.
payload: 1930, from pay (n. or v.) + load (n.). Originally the part of an aircraft's load from which revenue is derived (passengers, cargo, mail); fig. sense of "bombs, etc. carried by a plane or missile" is from 1936.
paynim: mid-13c., "heathen lands," from O.Fr. paienime, from L.L. paganismus "heathendom" (Augustine), from paganus "heathen" (see pagan); mistaken meaning "a heathen person" (late 14c.) is via phrases such as paynim lands.
payoff: also pay-off, 1905, "winnings from gambling," from pay (v.) + off. Meaning "graft, bribes" first attested 1930. Phrase to pay off "be profitable" is first recorded 1951.
payola: "graft" (especially to disc jockeys from record companies to play their music), 1938 [in a "Variety" headline, "Plug payolas perplexed"], from pay off "bribery" (underworld slang from 1930) + ending from Victrola, etc. (see pianola).
payroll (n.): 1740, from pay (v.) + roll (n.); "total amount paid to employees over a period," hence, via records-keeping, "list of employees receiving pay."
pea: 17c., false singular from M.E. pease (pl. pesen), which was both single and collective (e.g. wheat, corn) but was mistaken for a plural, from O.E. pise (W.Saxon), piose (Mercian) "pea," from L.L. pisa, variant of L. pisum "pea," from Gk. pison, perhaps of Thracian or Phrygian origin. Pea soup is first recorded 1711 (pease-soup); applied to London fogs since at least 1849. In Breton, piz, lit. "peas," also means "stingy," perhaps as a semantic borrowing of Fr. chiche "stingy," lit. "small," which also happens to be a homonym of chiche "peas." The Fr. word for small ultimately may be from L. ciccum, the same root as the word for "peas."
pea jacket: 1721, loan-translation of N.Fris. pijekkat, from Du. pijjekker, from pij "coarse woolen cloth" + jekker "jacket."
peace: 1140, "freedom from civil disorder," from Anglo-Norm. pes, from O.Fr. pais (11c., Fr. paix), from L. pacem (nom. pax) "treaty of peace, tranquility, absence of war" (cf. Prov. patz, Sp. paz, It. pace), from PIE *pak- "fasten," related to pacisci "to covenant or agree" (see pact). Replaced O.E. frið, also sibb, which also meant "happiness." Modern spelling is 1500s, reflecting vowel shift. Sense in peace of mind is from c.1200. Used in various greetings from c.1300, from Biblical L. pax, Gk. eirene, which were used by translators to render Heb. shalom, properly "safety, welfare, prosperity." Sense of "quiet" is attested by 1300; meaning "absence or cessation of war or hostility" is attested from c.1300. As a type of hybrid tea rose (developed 1939 in France by Francois Meilland), so called from 1944. Native American peace pipe is first recorded 1760. Peacemaker is from 1436. Phrase peace with honor first recorded 1607 (in "Coriolanus"). The Peace Corps was set up March 1, 1962. Peacenik is from 1965 (for suffix, see beatnik); an earlier equivalent was peacemonger (1808).