Online Etymology Dictionary

salve (n.): O.E. sealf "healing ointment," from W.Gmc. *salbo- "oily substance" (cf. O.S. salba, M.Du. salve, Du. zalf, O.H.G. salba, Ger. salbe "ointment"), from PIE *solpa-, from base *selp- "fat, butter" (cf. Gk. elpos "fat, oil," Skt. sarpis "melted butter"). The figurative sense of "something to soothe wounded pride, etc." is from 1736. The verb is O.E. sealfian "anoint (a wound) with salve," from P.Gmc. *salbojanan (cf. Du. zalven, Ger. salben, Goth. salbon "to anoint").
serenity: 1530s, of weather, 1590s, of persons," from Fr. sérénité, from L. serenitatem (nom. serenitas) "clearness, serenity," from serenus (see serene). Earliest use (mid-15c.) was as a title of honor for kings.
sodality: "companionship, fellowship," c.1600, from M.Fr. sodalité, from L. sodalitatem (nom. sodalitas) "companionship, a brotherhood," from sodalis "companion," related to suescere "to accustom" (see mansuetude). Especially of religious guilds in the Catholic Church.
sardine: early 15c., from L. sardina, from Gk. sardine, sardinos, often said to be from Sardo "Sardinia" (see Sardinia), the Mediterranean island, near which the fish were probably caught and from which they were exported. But cf. Klein: "It is hardly probable that the Greeks would have obtained fish from so far as Sardinia at a time relatively so early as that of Aristotle, from whom Athenaios quotes a passage in which the fish sardinos is mentioned." Colloquial phrase packed like sardines (in a tin) is recorded from 1911.
scirrhous: 1560s, from Fr. scirrheux (16c., Mod.Fr. squirreux), from Mod.L. scirrhosus, from L. scirros "a hard swelling, tumor," from Gk. skirrhos "hard tumor," from skiros (adj.) "hard," of unknown origin.
scurrilous: "using such language as only the licence of a buffoon can warrant" [Johnson], 1570s, from scurrile "coarsely joking" (c.1500, implied in scurrility), from L. scurrilis "buffoonlike," from scurra "fashionable city idler," later "buffoon." According to Klein, "an Etruscan loan-word."
Sebastian: masc. proper name, from L. Sebastianus, from Gk. Sebastianos, "man of Sebastia," a city in Pontus that was named for Augustus Caesar, first Roman emperor, from Gk. sebastos "venerable," a translation of L. augustus, the epithet of Caesar.
sagacity: 1540s, from M.Fr. sagacité, from L. sagacitatem (nom. sagacitas) "quality of being acute," from sagax (gen. sagacis) "of quick perception," related to sagus "prophetic," sagire "perceive keenly," from PIE base *sag- "to track down, trace, seek" (cf. O.E. secan "to seek;" see seek). Also used 17c.-18c. of animals, meaning "acute sense of smell."
sabbatarian: 1620, "a Christian unusually strict about Sabbath observation," from L. Sabbatarius (adj.), from Sabbatum (see Sabbath). Meaning "member of a Christian sect which maintained the Sabbath should be observed on the seventh day" is attested from 1645; earlier sabbatary (1596).
samite: "rich silk cloth," c.1300, from O.Fr. samit, from M.L. samitum, examitum, from Medieval Gk. hexamiton (source of O.C.S. oksamitu, Rus. aksamit "velvet"), prop. neut. of Gk. adj. hexamitos "six-threaded," from hex "six" + mitos "warp thread" (see mitre). The reason it was called this is variously explained. Obsolete c.1600; revived by Tennyson. Ger. Sammet "velvet" is from French.
samizdat: "illegal and clandestine copying and sharing of literature," 1967, from Rus. samizdat, lit. "self-publishing," from sam "self" + izdatel'stvo "publishing," probably a word-play on Gosizdat, the former state publishing house of the U.S.S.R. One who took part in it was a samizdatchik (pl. samizdatchiki).
sashay (v.): 1836, mangled Anglicization of Fr. chassé "gliding step" (in square dancing), lit. "chased," pp. of chasser "to chase," from O.Fr. chacier "to hunt," from V.L. *captiare (see capable, and cf. chase, catch). Related: Sashayed; sashaying. The noun is attested from 1900.
scherzo: 1852, from It. scherzo, lit. "sport, joke," from scherzare "to jest or joke," from a Gmc. source (cf. M.H.G. scherzen "to jump merrily, enjoy oneself," Ger. scherz "sport"). The lively second or third movement in a symphony or sonata.
Schwenkfeldian: 1560s, from Casper Schwenkfeld (1490-1561), Silesian Protestant mystic who founded the sect. Schwenkfelder is attested from 1882.
scrimshaw: 1864, back-formation from scrimshander ("Moby Dick," 1851), scrimshonting (1825), Amer.Eng. nautical word, of unknown origin. Scrimshaw is an English surname, attested from mid-12c., from O.Fr. escremisseor "fencing-master."
scrutinise: British English spelling of scrutinize (q.v.); for suffix, see -ize. Related: Scrutinised; scrutinising.
Seleucid: 1803, in ref. to dynasty founded in Syria 312 B.C.E. by Seleucus Nicator, general of Alexander. It lasted until 65 B.C.E. The Seleucidan Era, a local reckoning in the East (maintained by Syrian Christians) usually is dated to Sept. 1, 312 B.C.E.
seltzer: 1741, from Ger. Selterser (Wasser), a kind of mineral water, lit. "of Selters," village near Weisbaden in Hesse-Nassau, where the mineral water is found.
Sephardim: pl. of Sephardi "a Spanish or Portuguese Jew" (1851), from Mod.Heb. Sepharaddim "Spaniards, Jews of Spain," from Sepharad, name of a country mentioned only in Obad. v:20, probably meaning "Asia Minor" or a country in it (Lydia, Phrygia), but identified by the rabbis after Jonathan Targum as "Spain."
septuagenarian (adj.): "seventy-year-old," 1793, from L. septuagenarius "containing seventy," from septuageni "seventy each," related to septuaginta "seventy" (see Septuagint). Noun meaning "a 70-year-old person" first recorded 1805.
septum: "partition between the nostrils," 1690s, Mod.L., from L. saeptum "a fence," from neut. pp. of saepire "to hedge in," from saepes "hedge, fence."
sequacious: "given to following leaders," 1630s, from L. sequac-, stem of sequax "that follows, a follower," from sequi "to follow" (see sequel) + -ous.
serpent: c.1300, "limbless reptile," also "tempter in Gen. iii:1-5," from O.Fr. sarpent, from L. serpentem (nom. serpens) "snake," from prp. of serpere "to creep," from PIE *serp- (cf. Skt. sarpati "creeps," sarpah "serpent;" Gk. herpein "to creep," herpeton "serpent;" Alb. garper "serpent").
sexagenarian: 1738, "person sixty years old," from L. sexagenarius "containing sixty," from L. sexagenarius, from sexageni "sixty each," from sex (see six).
shadow (n.): O.E. sceadwe, sceaduwe, oblique cases of sceadu (see shade). As a designation of members of an opposition party chosen as counterparts of the government in power, it is recorded from 1906. Shadow of Death (Ps. xxiii:4, etc.) is Gk. skia thanatou, perhaps a mistranslation of a Heb. word for "intense darkness."
sibilant (adj.): 1669, from L. sibilantem (nom. sibilans), prp. of sibilare "to hiss, whistle," possibly of imitative origin (cf. Gk. sizein "to hiss," Lett. sikt "to hiss," O.C.S. svistati "to hiss, whistle"). The noun meaning "speech sound having a hissing effect" is from 1788.
sisyphean: "resembling the labors of Sisyphus," 1635, from Sisyphus, from Gk. Sisyphos, a name of unknown origin. King of Corinth, famed as "the craftiest of men," he was condemned in the afterlife to roll uphill a stone which perpetually rolls down.
snivel: O.E. *snyflan "to run at the nose" (cf. snyflung "running of the nose"), related to snofl "nasal mucus." Meaning "to be in an (affected) tearful state" is from 1690. Snivelling "mean-spirited, weak" is recorded from 1647; Melville coined snivelization (1849).
soar: late 14c., from O.Fr. essorer "fly up, soar," from V.L. *exaurare "rise into the air," from L. ex- "out" (see ex-) + aura "breeze, air." Related: Soared; soaring.
soffit: 1613, from It. soffita, fem. of soffitto "ceiling," originally "fixed beneath," from L. sub- "under" + pp. of figere "to fix, fasten" (see fix).
soliloquize: 1759, from soliloquy + -ize. Related: Soliloquized; soliloquizing.
sonant: 1846, from L. sonantem (nom. sonans), prp. of sonare "make a noise," related to sonus "sound" (see sound (n.1)).
salsify: biennial plant, 1670s, from Fr. salsifis, earlier sercifi, sassify (16c.), probably from It. erba salsifica, from O.It. salsifica, of uncertain origin, perhaps from L. sal "salt" + fricare "to rub."
sadden: "to make sorrowful," c.1600, from sad + -en (1). Earlier verb was simply sade, from O.E. sadian. Related: Saddened; saddening.
sacral: 1767, in anatomy, from Mod.L. sacralis, from sacrum, the bone (see sacrum). In anthropology, from 1882, from L. sacrum “sacred thing, rite” (see sacred). Related: sacralization.
sagittal: 1540s, from Mod.L. sagittalis, from L. sagitta “arrow” (see Sagittarius).
saltation: 1620s, from L. saltationem, noun of action from saltare (see saute).
sanctification: 1520s, from Church L. sanctificationem, noun of action from sanctificare (see sanctify).
schmaltzy: 1935, from schmaltz + -y (2). Related: Schmaltziness.
sclerotic: 1540s, from medical L. scleroticus, from Gk. skleroun (see sclerosis). Meaning “unchanging, rigid” is from 1961.
scooch: by 1987, informal. Related: Scooched; scooching.
secateurs: 1881, from Fr. sécateur, ultimately from L. secare “to cut” (see section).
semiannual: also semi-annual, 1794, from semi- + annual. Related: Semiannually.
seraphic: 1630s, from Church L. seraphicus, from seraphim (see seraph).
sibylline: 1570s, from L. sibyllinus, from sibylla (see -----).
sodomise: British English spelling of sodomize. For suffix, see -ize. Related: Sodomised; sodomising.
soigne: 1821, from Fr. soigné (fem. soignée), from pp. of soigner “to take care of,” from soin “care.”
Sinai: the mountain is perhaps named for Sin, a moon goddess worshipped by Sumerians, Akkadians, and ancient Arabs. As an adjectival form, Sinaic (1769), Sinaitic (1786).
sonority: 1620s, from Fr. sonorité or directly from L. sonoritas, from sonorus (see sonorous).
navy: early 14c., "fleet of ships, especially for purposes of war," from O.Fr. navie "fleet, ship," from L. navigia, pl. of navigium "vessel, boat," from navis "ship" (see naval). Meaning "a nation's collective, organized sea power" is from 1540. The O.E. words were sciphere (usually of Viking invaders) and scipfierd (usually of the home defenses). Navy blue was the color of the British naval uniform.