Online Etymology Dictionary

septentrion (n.): "the Big Dipper;" Middle English septentrioun (1530s, but septentronial "northern" is attested from late 14c.), from Latin septentriones (plural) "seven plow oxen," from septem "seven" + trio (genitive triones) "plow ox," from stem of terere (pt. tritus) "to rub" (see throw). Cf. also Charles's Wain.
septet (n.): 1828, from German Septett, from Latin septum "seven" (see seven).
septic (adj.): c.1600, from Latin septicus "of or pertaining to putrefaction," from Greek septikos "characterized by putrefaction," from sepein "cause to rot" (see sepsis). Septic tank is attested from 1902.
septicemia (n.): 1866, Modern Latin septicæmia, from French septicoemi, coined by French physician Pierre-Adolphe Piorry (1794-1879) in 1837 from Greek septikos (see septic) + haima "blood" (see -emia).
septuagenarian (adj.): "seventy-year-old," 1793, from Latin septuagenarius "containing seventy," from septuageni "seventy each," related to septuaginta "seventy" (see Septuagint). Noun meaning "a 70-year-old person" first recorded 1805.
Septuagint (n.): "Greek version of the Old Testament," 1633, from Late Latin septuaginta interpretes "seventy interpreters," from Latin septuaginta "seventy," from septem "seven" (see seven) + -ginta "tens, ten times," from PIE *dkm-ta-, from *dekm- "ten" (see ten). So called in reference to the (false) tradition that the translation was done 3c. B.C.E. by 70 or 72 Jewish scholars from Palestine and completed in 70 or 72 days. Often denoted by Roman numerals, LXX. The translation is believed now to have been carried out at different times by Egyptian Jews.
septum (n.): "partition between the nostrils," 1690s, Modern Latin, from Latin saeptum "a fence," from neuter past participle of saepire "to hedge in," from saepes "hedge, fence."
sepulchral (adj.): 1610s, "pertaining to a burial or place of burial," from Latin sepulcralis, from sepulcrum (see sepulcher). Transferred sense of "gloomy" is from 1711.
sepulchre (n.): also sepulcher, c.1200, "tomb, burial place," especially the cave where Jesus was buried outside Jerusalem (Holy Sepulcher or Saint Sepulcher), from Old French sepulcre (11c.), from Latin sepulcrum "grave, tomb," from root of sepelire "to bury," originally "to perform rituals on a corpse" (cf. Sanskrit saparyati "honors"). No reason for the -ch- spelling.
sepulture (n.): late 13c., from Old French sepulture, from Latin sepultura "burial," from sepult-, past participle stem of sepelire "to bury" (see sepulcher).
sequacious (adj.): "given to following leaders," 1630s, from Latin sequac-, stem of sequax "that follows, a follower," from sequi "to follow" (see sequel) + -ous.
sequel (n.): early 15c., "train of followers," from Old French sequelle, from Late Latin sequela "that which follows, result, consequence," from sequi "to follow," from PIE root *sekw- (cf. Sanskrit sacate "accompanies, follows," Avestan hacaiti, Greek hepesthai "to follow," Lithuanian seku "to follow," Latin secundus "second, the following," Old Irish sechim "I follow"). Meaning "consequence" is attested from late 15c. Meaning "story that follows and continues another" first recorded 1510s.
sequela (n.): plural sequelae, 1793, from Latin sequela (see sequel).
sequence (n.): late 14c., "hymn sung after the Hallelujah and before the Gospel," from Old French sequence "answering verses" (13c.), from Medieval Latin sequentia "a following, a succession," from Latin sequentem (nominative sequens), present participle of sequi "to follow" (see sequel). In Church use, a partial loan-translation of Greek akolouthia, from akolouthos "following." General sense of "succession," also "a sequence at cards," appeared 1570s.
sequent: 1550s (adj.), 1580s (n.), from Old French sequent, from Latin sequentem, present participle of sequi “to follow” (see sequel).
sequential (adj.): 1820s, from Late Latin sequentia (see sequence) + -al (1). Related: Sequentially.
sequester (v.): late 14c., from Old French sequestrer (14c.), from Late Latin sequestrare "to place in safekeeping," from Latin sequester "trustee, mediator," probably originally "follower," related to sequi "to follow" (see sequel). Meaning "seize by authority, confiscate" is first attested 1510s.
sequestration (n.): c.1400, from Late Latin sequestrationem, noun of action from past participle stem of Latin sequestrare (see sequester).
sequin (n.): 1610s, name of a former Italian and Turkish gold coin, from French sequin, from Italian zecchino, from zecca "a mint," from Arabic sikkah "a minting die." Meaning "ornamental disc or spangle" is first recorded 1882, from resemblance to a gold coin.
sequitur: Latin, literally "it follows."
sequoia (n.): large American coniferous tree, 1857, from Modern Latin tree genus name given 1847 by Austrian botanist Stephan Endlicher (1804-1849), in honor of Sequoya (1760-1843), Cherokee man who invented a system of writing for his people's language, whose name is from Cherokee (Iroquoian) Sikwayi, a word of unknown etymology. Popularly also called Wellingtonia, the name given by Lindley (1853).
seraglio (n.): "harem," also the name of a former palace of the sultan in Istanbul, 1580s, from Italian seraglio, alteration of Turkish saray "palace, court," from Persian sara'i "palace, inn," from Iranian base *thraya- "to protect" (cf. Avestan thrayeinti "they protect"). The Italian word probably reflects folk etymology influence of serraglio "enclosure, cage," from Medieval Latin serraculum "bung, stopper" (see serried).
serape (n.): type of shawl, 1834, from Mexican Spanish sarape, probably from Nahuatl, but exact source difficult to identify source because there is no -r- sound in Nahuatl.
seraph (n.): 1667, first used by Milton (probably on analogy of cherub/cherubim), singular back-formation from Old English seraphim (plural), from Late Latin seraphim, from Greek seraphim, from Hebrew seraphim (only in Isa. vi), plural of *saraph (which does not occur in the Bible), probably literally "the burning one," from saraph "it burned." Seraphs were traditionally regarded as burning or flaming angels, though the word seems to have some etymological sense of "flying," perhaps from confusion with the root of Arabic sharafa "be lofty." Some scholars identify it with a word found in other passages interpreted as "fiery flying serpent."
seraphic (adj.): 1630s, from Church Latin seraphicus, from seraphim (see seraph).
Serapis: god of the lower world, from Latin, from Greek Serapis, earlier Sarapis, from Egyptian User-hapi, literally "Osiris-Apis."
Serb: 1813, from Serbian Srb.
sere (adj.): Old English sear "dried up, withered," from Proto-Germanic *sauzas (cf. Middle Low German sor, Dutch zoor), from PIE root *saus- (cf. Sanskrit susyati "dries, withers;" Old Persian uška- "dry" (adj.), "land" (n.); Avestan huška- "dry;" Latin sudus "dry"). A good word now relegated to bad poetry. Related to sear. Sere month was an old name for "August."
Serena: fem. proper name, from Latin serena, fem. of serenus "clear, bright, fair, joyous" (see serene).
serenade (n.): 1640s, "musical performance at night in open air" (especially one given by a lover under the window of his lady), from French sérénade, from Italian serenata "an evening song," literally "calm sky," from sereno "the open air," noun use of sereno "clear, calm," from Latin serenus "peaceful, calm, serene." Sense influenced by Italian sera "evening," from Latin sera, fem. of serus "late." Meaning "piece of music suitable for a serenade" is attested from 1728.
serenade (v.): 1660s, from serenade (n.). Related: Serenaded; serenading.
serendipitous (adj.): 1914; see serendipity + -ous. Related: Serendipitously.
serendipity (n.): 1754 (but rare before 20c.), coined by Horace Walpole (1717-92) in a letter to Mann (dated Jan. 28); he said he formed it from the Persian fairy tale "The Three Princes of Serendip," whose heroes "were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of." The name is from Serendip, an old name for Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka), from Arabic Sarandib, from Sanskrit Simhaladvipa "Dwelling-Place-of-Lions Island."
serene (adj.): c.1500, "clear, calm," from Latin serenus "peaceful, calm, clear" (of weather), of unknown origin. Applied to persons since 1630s.
serenity (n.): 1530s, of weather, 1590s, of persons," from French sérénité, from Latin serenitatem (nominative serenitas) "clearness, serenity," from serenus (see serene). Earliest use (mid-15c.) was as a title of honor for kings.
serf (n.): late 15c., "slave," from Middle French serf, from Latin servum (nominative servus) "slave" (see serve). Fallen from use in original sense by 18c. Meaning "lowest class of cultivators of the soil in continental European countries" is from 1610s. Use by modern writers with reference to medieval Europeans first recorded 1761 (contemporary Anglo-Latin records used nativus, villanus, or servus).
serfdom (n.): 1850, from serf + -dom.
serge (n.): late 14c., from Old French serge, from Vulgar Latin *sarica, in Medieval Latin "cloth of wool mixed with silk or linen," from Latin serica (vestis) "silken (garment)," from serica, from Greek serike, fem. of serikos "silken" (see silk). The French word is the source of German sarsche, Danish sarge, etc.
sergeant (n.): c.1200, "servant," from Old French sergent, from Medieval Latin servientum (nominative serviens) "servant, vassal, soldier" (in Late Latin "public official"), from Latin servientem "serving," present participle of servire "to serve" (see serve); cognate with Spanish sirviente, Italian servente.

Specific sense of "military servant" is attested from late 13c.; that of "officer whose duty is to enforce judgments of a tribunal or legislative body" is from c.1300 (sergeant at arms is attested from late 14c.). Meaning "non-commissioned military officer" first recorded 1540s. Originally a much more important rank than presently. As a police rank, in Great Britain from 1839.

Middle English alternative spelling serjeant (from Old French) was retained in Britain in special use as title of a superior order of barristers (c.1300, from legal Latin serviens ad legem, "one who serves (the king) in matters of law"), abolished 1880, from which Common Law judges were chosen; also used of certain other officers of the royal household. sergeant-major is from 1570s.
Sergius: masc. proper name, from Latin, of Etruscan origin.
serial (adj.): 1840, from series + -al (1); popularized in reference to Dickens' novels, published one part at a time (as opposed to all at once, in a book). Found to be a useful word and given wide application. Serial number first recorded 1935. Serial killer is first attested 1981 (in relation to John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy), though serial had been used in connection with murders since the early 1960s. Related: Serially.
serial (n.): 1846, from serial (adj.).
seriatim: 1670s, from Medieval Latin seriatim, from Latin series (see series).
seriation (n.): 1650s; see series + -ation.
sericulture (n.): 1851, from French sériciculture, from Latin sericum (nominative serica) "silk" (see serge) + cultura (see culture).
series (n.): 1610s, "a number or set of things of one kind arranged in a line," from Latin series "row, chain, series," from serere "to join, link, bind together, put," from PIE root *ser- "to line up, join" (cf. Sanskrit sarat- "thread," Greek eirein "to fasten together in rows," Gothic sarwa (plural) "armor, arms," Old Norse sörve "necklace of stringed pearls," Old Irish sernaid "he joins together," Welsh ystret "row"). Meaning "set of printed works published consecutively" is from 1711. Meaning "set of radio or television programs with the same characters and themes" is attested from 1949.
serif (n.): 1841, see sans-serif.
serine (n.): 1880, from German serin (1865), from Latin sericum "silk," with chemical suffix -ine (2).
seriocomic (adj.): 1749 (implied in seriocomical), a blend of serious + comic.
serious (adj.): mid-15c., "expressing earnest purpose or thought" (of persons), from Middle French sérieux "grave, earnest" (14c.), from Late Latin seriosus, from Latin serius "weighty, important, grave," probably from a PIE root *swer- (cf. Lithuanian sveriu "to weigh, lift," svarus "heavy;" Old English swære "heavy," German schwer "heavy," Gothic swers "honored, esteemed," literally "weighty"). As opposite of jesting, from 1712; as opposite of light (of music, theater, etc.), from 1762. Meaning "attended with danger" is from 1800.