mean | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

676 entries found.

"Polynesian inhabitant of New Zealand," 1843, native name, said to mean "normal, natural, ordinary, of the usual kind." As an adjective by 1849.

whoreson (n.)

c. 1300, from whore (n.) + son. Often used affectionately, it translates Anglo-French fiz a putain. As an adjective, "mean, scurvy, contemptuous," from mid-15c.

hindermost (adj.)

late 14c., hyndermest; see hinder (adj.) + -most. Middle English had also hindermore, which, as a noun, could mean "the hinder parts."

Meiji

"period of rule of emperor Mutsuhito" (1868-1912), which was marked by modernization and Westernization, 1873, from Japanese, said to mean literally "enlightened government."

spirited (adj.)

"lively, energetic," 1590s, from spirit (v.) in its older sense. Milton uses it to mean "possessed by a spirit." Related: Spiritedly; spiritedness.

hull (v.)

"to remove the husk of," early 15c., from hull (n.1). Related: Hulled, which can mean both "having a particular kind of hull" and "stripped of the hull."

codger (n.)

1756, "old man, odd person;" 1796, "mean, miserly man;" probably a variant of cadger "beggar" (see cadge (v.)), which is of unknown origin.

Zanzibar

island off East Africa, from Zengi, name of a local people, said to mean "black," + Arabic barr "coast, shore." Related: Zanzibari.

yang (n.)

masculine or positive principle in Chinese philosophy, 1670s, from Mandarin yang, said to mean "male, daylight, solar," or "sun, positive, male genitals."

leave-taking (n.)

late 14c., from the verbal phrase to take leave, originally "obtain or receive formal permission" in any sense (c. 1300); see take (v.) + leave (n.). Sense evolution was through "receive formal permission to depart;" by 16c. it had begun to mean "depart with an expression of farewell," and in some cases came to mean the farewell itself. Give (someone) leave (v.) "allow, permit" is from 12c.

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