derives | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

64 entries found.

"one who derives satisfaction from inflicting pain on or dominating others," 1892, from sadism + -ist.

French biplane fighter of World War I, 1917, from French spad, from acronym of Societé pour Aviation et ses Dérivés.

Mongol city founded by Kublai Khan, 1620s, Englished form of Shang-tu. Sense of "dream place of magnificence and luxury" derives from Coleridge's poem (1816).

hibachi (n.)

1863, from Japanese hibachi "firepot," from hi "fire" + bachi, hachi "bowl, pot," which Watkins derives ultimately from Sanskrit patram "cup, bowl," from PIE root *po(i)- "to drink."

arbor (n.2)

"main support or beam of a machine," 1650s, from Latin arbor, arboris "tree," from Proto-Italic *arthos, which de Vaan derives from PIE *herdhos "height, uprightness," from root *eredh- "to grow, high" (see ortho-).

varices (n.)

plural of varix "dilated vein" (c. 1400), from Latin varix "a varicose vein," which de Vaan derives from varus "bent outward, bow-legged," which is of uncertain origin (see vary).

Sierra Leone

West African nation, literally "lion mountains," from Spanish sierra "mountain range" (see sierra) + leon "lion" (see lion). Attested from mid-15c. in Portuguese explorers' accounts, and a very early explanation of the name derives it from the "roaring" of thunder in the mountains. Related: Sierra Leonean.

Eire

ultimately from Old Irish Eriu (accusative Eirinn, Erinn). The reconstructed ancestry of this derives it from Old Celtic *Iveriu (accusative *Iverionem, ablative *Iverione), perhaps (Watkins) from PIE *pi-wer- "fertile," literally "fat," from root *peie- "to be fat, swell" (see fat (adj.)).

Thaddeus

masc. proper name, from Latin Thaddaeus, from Greek Thaddaios, from Talmudic Hebrew Tadday. Klein derives this from Aramaic tedhayya (pl.) "breasts." Thayer's "Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament" suggests the sense might be "large-hearted," hence "courageous." In the Bible, a surname of the apostle Jude, brother of James the Less.

ouzo (n.)

type of liquor flavored with aniseed, 1898, from Modern Greek ouzo, which is of uncertain origin. "A popular etymology" [OED] is that it derives from Italian uso Massalia, literally "for Marsailles," which was stamped on selected packages of silkworm cocoons being shipped from Thessaly, and came to be taken for "of superior quality."

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