Online Etymology Dictionary

independent: 1610s, from in- "not" + dependent (q.v.). Fr. independant is attested from c.1600; It. independente from 1590s. Noun meaning "person not acting as part of a political party" is from 1808.
indie: "independent record company," 1945, shortening of independent; used of film production companies since 1920s, of theaters from 1942; extended by 1984 to a type of pop music by such labels.
Nehru: in ref. to a type of long, narrow jacket with a standing collar (popular in Western fashion, late 1960s), 1967, in ref. to Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964), first prime minister of independent India (1947-1969), who often wore such a jacket in public appearances.
genre: 1770, from Fr. genre "kind, sort, style," from O.Fr. (see gender). Used especially in Fr. for "independent style," as compared to "landscape, historical," etc.
Chad (2): African nation, former Fr. colony (Tchad), independent since 1960, named for Lake Chad, from a local word meaning "lake, large expanse of water."
clueless: 1862, "trackless," from clue + -less. Meaning "ignorant, uninformed" is from 1943, said to be RAF slang from 1930s. Student slang use in 1980s is perhaps an independent extension along the same line. Related: Cluelessly.
sovereignty: mid-14c., "pre-eminence," from Anglo-Fr. sovereynete, from O.Fr. souverainete, from soverain (see sovereign). Meaning "authority, rule" is recorded from late 14c.; sense of "existence as an independent state" is from 1715.
satisfice: 1560s, satisfy, altered by influence of its Latin root satisfacere. A Northern English colloquial word; modern use from c.1956 may be an independent formation. Related: Satisficed; satisficing.
throttle (v.): "strangle to death," c.1400, probably from M.E. throte "throat" (see throat). The noun, in the mechanical sense, is first recorded 1870s, from throttle-valve (1824), but was used earlier as a synonym for "throat" (1547); it appears to be an independent formation, not derived from the verb.
-ism: suffix forming nouns of action, state, condition, doctrine, from Fr. -isme, from L. -isma, from Gk. -isma, from stem of verbs in -izein. Used as an independent word, chiefly disparagingly, from 1680.
autocracy: 1650s, "independent power, self-sustained power," from Fr. autocratie, from Gk. autokrateia "ruling by oneself," noun of state from autokrates (see autocrat). Meaning "absolute government, supreme political power" is recorded from 1855.
congregational: 1630s, in reference to Congregationalism, a Protestant movement in which church congregations were to be self-governing (the term most used in New England, in Britain they were called Independent); from congregation + -al (1). Related: Congregationalist.
Israel: O.E., "the Jewish people," from L. Israel, from Gk., from Heb. yisra'el "he that striveth with God" (Gen. xxxii.28), symbolic proper name conferred on Jacob and extended to his descendants, from sara "he fought, contended" + El "God." As an independent Jewish state in the country formerly called Palestine, it is attested from 1948.
independence: 1630s, from M.L. independentia (see independent). Related: Independency. U.S. Independence Day (July 4) recorded under that name by 1791.
fisk (v.): 2002, an Internet argument tactic involving a reprinting of an article or blog post, interlarded with rebuttals and refutations, often intended to show the original is a sandpile of flawed facts, unfounded assertions, and logical fallacies. Named for English journalist Robert Fisk (b.1946), Middle East correspondent for the "Independent," whose writing often criticizes America and Israel and is somewhat noted for looseness with details. Related: Fisked; fisking.
solidarity: 1841, from Fr. solidarité "mutual responsibility," a coinage of the "Encyclopédie" (1765), from solidaire "interdependent, complete, entire," from solide (see solid). With a capital S-, the name of an independent trade union movement in Poland, formed Sept. 1980 and officially banned Oct. 1982, from Pol. Solidarność.
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).
autonomy: 1620s, from Gk. autonomia "independence," noun of quality from autonomos "independent, living by one's own laws," from auto- "self" (see auto-) + nomos "custom, law" (see numismatics).
Colombia: South American nation, independent from 1819 as part of Gran Colombia (after its breakup in 1850, as New Granada, then Colombia from 1863); named for It. explorer Christopher Columbus (It. Colombo, Port. Colom, Sp. Colón).
Latvia: Baltic nation, independent from 1918, named for its inhabitants, Latvian Latvji, whose ancient name is of unknown origin. In English, the people name was Lett. Parts of the modern state were known previously as Livonia (from Estonian liiv "sand") and Courland (from Curonians, name of a Lettish people, of unknown origin).
colon (1): punctuation mark, 1540s, from L. colon "part of a poem," from Gk. kolon (with a long initial -o-) "part of a verse," lit. "limb," from PIE base *(s)kel- "to bend, crooked" (see scalene). Meaning evolved from "independent clause" to punctuation mark that sets it off.
autarky: 1610s, "self-sufficiency," from Gk. autarkeia, from autarkes "self-sufficient, having enough, independent of others" (also used of countries), from autos "self" (see auto-) + arkein "to ward off, keep off," also "to be strong enough, sufficient," from PIE base *ark- "to hold, contain, guard" (see arcane). From a different Greek source than autarchy, and thus the spelling. As a term in international economics, prominent late 1930s.
federal: 1640s, as a theological term, from L. foedus "covenant, league" (gen. foederis), related to fides "faith" (see faith). Meaning "pertaining to a treaty" (1650s) led to political sense of "state formed by agreement among independent states" (1707), from phrases like federal union "union based on a treaty," popularized by formation of U.S.A. 1776-1787.
log (n.): late 14c., of unknown origin. O.N. had lag "felled tree" (from stem of liggja "to lie"), but on phonological grounds etymologists deny that this is the root of English log. Instead, they suggest an independent formation meant to "express the notion of something massive by a word of appropriate sound." Logging "act of cutting timber" is from 1706. Logjam "congestion of logs on a river" is from 1885; in the figurative sense it is from 1890. Log cabin in Amer.Eng. has been a figure of the honest pioneer since the 1840 presidential campaign of William Henry Harrison.
magnesia: late 14c., in alchemy, "main ingredient of the philosopher's stone," from M.L. magnesia, from Gk. (he) Magnesia (lithos) "the lodestone," lit. "(the) Magnesian (stone)," from Magnesia, region in Thessaly. Perhaps manganese is meant. Connection with magnet is obscure. Main modern sense of "magnesium oxide" (1755) is perhaps an independent formation from L. magnes carneus "flesh-magnet" (c.1550), so called because it adheres strongly to the lips.
pop (adj., n.): "having popular appeal," 1926, of individual songs from many genres; 1954 as a genre of its own; abbreviation of popular; earlier as a shortened form of popular concert (1862), often in the plural form pops. Pop art first recorded 1957, said to have been in use conversationally among Independent group of artists from late 1954. Pop culture attested from 1959, short for popular culture (attested by 1870s).
afraid: early 14c., originally pp. of afray "frighten," from Anglo-Fr. afrayer, from O.Fr. esfreer (see affray (n.)). A rare case of an English adjective that never stands before a noun. Because it was used in A.V. Bible, it acquired independent standing and thrived while affray faded, chasing out the once more common afeard (q.v.). Sense in I'm afraid "I regret to say, I suspect" (without implication of fear) is first recorded 1590s.
Her blue affrayed eyes wide open shone [Keats, "The Eve of St. Agnes," 1820]
below: early 14c., biloogh, from be- "by" + logh, lou, lowe "low." Apparently a variant of earlier a-lowe (influenced by other advs. in be-, cf. before), the parallel form to an-high (now on high). Beneath was the usual word; below was very rare in M.E. and only gained currency in 16c. It is frequent in Shakespeare. Below is the opposite of above and concerns difference of level and suggests comparison of independent things. Under is the opposite of over and is concerned with superposition and subjection and suggests some interrelation.
article: early 13c., "separate parts of anything written" (e.g. the statements in the Apostles' Creed, the clauses of a statute or contract), from O.Fr. article (13c.), from L. articulus, dim. of artus "a joint" (from PIE *ar-tu-, from *ar- "to fit together;" (see arm (1)). Meaning extended to "a small division," then generalized to "item, thing." Older sense preserved in Articles of War "military regulations" (1716) and Articles of Confederation (U.S. history). Meaning "literary composition in a journal, etc." (independent, but part of a larger work) first recorded 1712. Meaning "piece of property" (clothing, etc.) first attested 1796, originally in rogue's cant.
Palestine: from L. Palestina (name of a Roman province), from Gk. Palaistine (Herodotus), from Heb. Pelesheth "Philistia, land of the Philistines." Revived as an official political territorial name 1920 with the British mandate. Under Turkish rule, Palestine was part of three administrative regions: the Vilayet of Beirut, the Independent Sanjak of Jerusalem, and the Vilayet of Damascus. In 1917 the country was conquered by British forces who held it under occupation until the mandate was established April 25, 1920, by the Supreme Council of the Allied Powers at San Remo. During the occupation Palestine formed "Occupied Enemy Territory Administration (South)," with headquarters at Jerusalem.
esprit: 1590s, from M.Fr. esprit "spirit, mind," from O.Fr. espirit, from L. spiritus "spirit" (see spirit). For initial e-, see especial. Esprit de corps first recorded 1780. French also has the excellent phrase esprit de l'escalier, lit. "spirit of the staircase," defined in OED as, "a retort or remark that occurs to a person after the opportunity to make it has passed." It also has espirit fort, a "strong-minded" person, one independent of current prejudices, especially a freethinker in religion.
Texas: Mexican province, briefly an independent nation and now a U.S. state, from Sp. Texas, Tejas, earlier pronounced "ta-shas," originally an ethnic name, from Caddo (eastern Texas Indian tribe) taysha "friends, allies," written by the Spanish as a plural. Tex as a nickname for a Texan is recorded from 1909. Tex-Mex "of Mexican-Texan origin" is recorded from 1949, from Texan + Mexican. An earlier noun for "Texan of Mexican background" was Texican (1863). Baseball Texas-leaguer is recorded from 1905.
air (2): "assumed manner, affected appearance," 1650s (especially in phrase put on airs, 1781), perhaps via Fr. air "look, appearance, mien, bearing, tone" (O.Fr. aire "reality, essence, nature, descent, extraction" 12c.; cf. debonair), from L. ager "place, field" (see acre) on notion of "place of origin." Air in the sense of "manner, appearance" (e.g. an air of mystery) is attested in English from 1590s, an independent adoption of Fr. air. But perhaps these senses in English also developed from or were infl. by air (1); cf. L. spiritus "breath, breeze," also "high spirit, pride," and the extended senses of anima.
lock (1): "means of fastening," O.E. loc "bolt, fastening, enclosure," from P.Gmc. *lokom/*lukom (cf. O.N. lok "fastening, lock," Goth. usluks "opening," O.H.G. loh "dungeon," Ger. Loch "opening, hole," Du. luck "shutter, trapdoor"). "The great diversity of meaning in the Teut. words seems to indicate two or more independent but formally identical substantival formations from the root." The river sense is from c.1300, on notion of "barrier, enclosure." Wrestling sense is from c.1600. The verb is c.1300, from O.E. lucan "to lock, to close" (class II strong verb; past tense leac, pp. locen). Slang lock horns "fight" is from 1839. Lock-up "detention cell for offenders" is from 1839.
state (n.2): "political organization of a country, supreme civil power, government," 1530s, from state (n.1); this sense grew out of the meaning "condition of a country" with regard to government, prosperity, etc. (late 13c.), from L. phrases such as status rei publicæ "condition of the republic." Often in phrase church and state, which is attested from 1580s. The sense of "semi-independent political entity under a federal authority" (as in the United States of America) is from 1856; the British North American colonies occasionally were called states as far back as 1630s. The states has been short for "the United States of America" since 1777; hence stateside (1944), World War II U.S. military slang. State rights in U.S. political sense is attested from 1798; form states rights is first recorded 1858.
yard (1): "ground around a house," O.E. geard "enclosure, garden, court, house, yard," from P.Gmc. *garda (cf. O.N. garðr "enclosure, garden, yard;" O.Fris. garda, Du. gaard, O.H.G. garto, Ger. Garten "garden;" Goth. gards "house," garda "stall"), from PIE *gharto-, from base *gher- "to grasp, enclose" (cf. O.E. gyrdan "to gird," Skt. ghra- "house," Alb. garth "hedge," L. hortus "garden," Phrygian -gordum "town," Gk. khortos "pasture," O.Ir. gort "field," Bret. garz "enclosure, garden," and second element in L. cohors "enclosure, yard, company of soldiers, multitude"). Lith. gardas "pen, enclosure," O.C.S. gradu "town, city," and Rus. gorod, -grad "town, city" belong to this group, but linguists dispute whether they are independent developments or borrowings from Gmc. Yard sale is attested by 1976. M.E. yerd "yard-land" (mid-15c.) was a measure of about 30 acres. Yardbird "convict" is 1956, from the notion of prison yards; earlier it meant "basic trainee" (World War II armed forces slang).
Dutch: late 14c., used first of Germans generally, after c.1600 of Hollanders, from M.Du. duutsch, from O.H.G. duit-isc, corresponding to O.E. þeodisc "belonging to the people," used especially of the common language of Germanic people, from þeod "people, race, nation," from P.Gmc. *theudo "popular, national" (see Teutonic), from PIE base *teuta- "people" (cf. O.Ir. tuoth "people," O.Lith. tauta "people," O.Prus. tauto "country," Oscan touto "community").

As a language name, first recorded as L. theodice, 786 C.E. in correspondence between Charlemagne's court and the Pope, in reference to a synodical conference in Mercia; thus it refers to Old English. First reference to the German language (as opposed to a Germanic one) is two years later. The sense was extended from the language to the people who spoke it (in German, Diutisklant, ancestor of Deutschland, was in use by 13c.).

Sense narrowed to "of the Netherlands" in 17c., after they became a united, independent state and the focus of English attention and rivalry. In Holland, duitsch is used of the people of Germany. The M.E. sense survives in Pennsylvania Dutch, who immigrated from the Rhineland and Switzerland.

Since c.1600, Dutch (adj.) has been a "pejorative label pinned by English speakers on almost anything they regard as inferior, irregular, or contrary to 'normal' (i.e., their own) practice" [Rawson]. E.g. Dutch treat (1887), Dutch uncle (1838), etc. -- probably exceeded in such usage only by Indian and Irish -- reflecting first British commercial and military rivalry and later heavy German immigration to U.S.
The Dutch themselves spoke English well enough to understand the unsavory connotations of the label and in 1934 Dutch officials were ordered by their government to stop using the term Dutch. Instead, they were to rewrite their sentences so as to employ the official The Netherlands. [Rawson]
Dutch elm disease (1927) so called because it was first discovered in Holland (caused by fungus Ceratocystis ulmi).