original | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

709 entries found.

original plural of beef (n.) in the animal sense (compare boevz, plural of Old French buef), now only in restricted use.

copier (n.)

1590s, "one who writes or transcribes from an original or form," agent noun from copy (v.). By 1889 as "device for making copies of documents."

eavesdrop (v.)

"lurk near a place to hear what is said inside," c. 1600, probably a back-formation from eavesdropper. The original notion is listening from under the eaves of a house. Related: Eavesdropping.

playable (adj.)

late 15c., plaiabil, "playful, sportive," from play (v.) + -able. Original sense is obsolete; the meaning "capable of being played" in various senses is from 1860. Related: Playability.

blunder (n.)

late 14c., blonder, blunder, "disturbance, strife; trouble, distress;" apparently from blunder (v.). Original sense obsolete. Meaning "a mistake made through hurry or confusion" is from 1706.

thrush (n.2)

throat disease, 1660s, probably from a Scandinavian source (such as Norwegian, Danish trøske, Swedish torsk), but its roots and original meaning are unclear.

situs (n.)

Latin, "situation, position" (see site). In technical uses in English, "proper or original position and location of something" (as in in situ).

farm (v.)

mid-15c., "to rent (land)," from Anglo-French fermer, from ferme "a rent, lease" (see farm (n.)). The agricultural sense is from 1719. Original sense is retained in to farm out.

ill-advised (adj.)

1590s, from ill (adv.) + advised, past-participle adjective from advise (v.) in its original (but now obsolete) reflexive sense "take thought, consider." Related: Ill-advisedly.

jaywalking (n.)

by 1912, American English (said in original citation to be a Kansas City term), from jay, perhaps with notion of boldness and impudence. Related: Jaywalk; jaywalker.

Page 4

Trending words