later | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

1351 entries found.

1580s, "poorly, in an indifferent manner or condition;" 1590s, "in a low or humble degree, in a low rank in life;" c. 1600, "sordidly," later "illiberally;" from mean (adj.1) in its various later senses + -ly (2). Middle English had menelich "humbly, poorly;" Old English gemænelice "commonly, generally."

sprue (n.)

"piece of metal (later plastic) attached to a cast object," 1875, earlier (1849) "channel through which metal is poured into a mold;" of unknown origin.

fish-tail (n.)

1840, "the tail of a fish," from fish (n.) + tail (n.). As a verb, also fishtail, 1927, originally of aircraft, later automobiles. Related: Fishtailed; fishtailing.

won't

contraction of will not, first recorded mid-15c. as wynnot, later wonnot (1580s) before the modern form emerged 1660s. See will.

teleportation (n.)

1931 as a term in psychics and later (1951) science fiction; from tele- + (trans)portation. Apparently coined by Charles Fort (1874-1932).

precipitious (adj.)

1610s, now obsolete, but formerly preferred by purists for the sense "high and steep" over the later formation precipitous. Related: Precipitiously.

jazzbo (n.)

1917, "low, vulgar jazz," from jazz (n.). Later in 20c. it was in use as a derogatory term for persons, especially blacks.

cross-tie (n.)

"transverse connecting piece of lumber," later especially "a railway tie, timber placed under opposite rails for support and to prevent spreading," from cross- + tie (n.).

street-car (n.)

"passenger car for city travel," horse-drawn at first, later cable-powered, 1859, American English, from street (n.) + car (n.).

pomaceous (adj.)

"consisting of or resembling pomace," 1706, from Vulgar Latin *poma "apple," originally plural of Latin pomus "fruit," later "apple" (see Pomona) + -aceous.

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