bill
From Middle English bille, from Anglo-Norman bille, from Old French bulle, from Medieval Latin bulla (“seal, sealed document”). Doublet of bull (“papal bull; bubble”) and bulla.
6 source sections · 14 relationship mentionsThe English source dictionary · partial corpus coverage
35,981 permanent word records. Read the source etymologies, inspect mentioned relationships and see where the evidence stops. These are not 35,981 independently reviewed deep dives.
From Middle English bille, from Anglo-Norman bille, from Old French bulle, from Medieval Latin bulla (“seal, sealed document”). Doublet of bull (“papal bull; bubble”) and bulla.
6 source sections · 14 relationship mentionsOf obscure origin. Perhaps a variant of bully (“companion, mate, comrade”). Compare Scots billie (“a comrade; companion”). Compare also Middle Low German billig (“equitable, reasonable, lawful, fitting, according to natu
2 source sections · 2 relationship mentionsFrom bimbo.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordBorrowed from Hebrew בִּימָה (bîmâ). Doublet of bema.
1 source section · 2 relationship mentionsFrom translingual Octopus bimaculoides.
1 source section · 1 relationship mention · brief recordFrom bi- + map.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Italian bimbo (“a child, a male baby”), variant of bambino (“child”). Originated in Italian American theater, attested 1919, as “stupid, inconsequential man”, by 1920 developed sense of “floozie, attractive and stup
1 source section · 1 relationship mentionFrom Middle English bynne, from Old English binn (“crib, manger”), from Late Latin benna or a Celtic language, possibly Proto-Brythonic *benn (“cart, carriage”) (whence Middle Welsh benn, Old Breton benn (“caisson”), mod
5 source sections · 13 relationship mentionsSee binary.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordHumorous alteration of bitch that emerged on Twitter in the late 2010s in response to profanity filters.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *bindaną Proto-West Germanic *bindan Old English bindan Middle English bynden English bind From Middle English bynden, from Old English bindan, from Proto-We
1 source section · 17 relationship mentionsBorrowed from Hindi बिंदी (bindī).
2 source sections · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom bindii.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom bind (noun).
2 source sections · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordShortening.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English bing, binge, benge (also as Middle English byngger, bengere (“grain bin, hopper”)), from Old Norse bingr (“heap of corn; bed; bolster”), cognate with Scots bing, Swedish binge (“heap”), Danish bing (“
3 source sections · 7 relationship mentionsFrom Leicestershire and Northamptonshire dialect, binge (“to drink deeply", also "to soak, steep, drench", specifically "to swell a leaky wooden vessel by filling it with or plunging it into water”), of unknown origin. P
1 source section · 9 relationship mentionsAlternative form of bing, suggesting a ringing sound. Attested since 1925.
3 source sections · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordCompare dialectal bing (“of milk, etc: to curdle, to sour”) and perhaps bing (noun), used of various vessels for grain, wine, milk, etc.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentionsBlend of binary + digit.
1 source section · 2 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English bink, binke, variants of Middle English benk, benke, from Old English benc (“bench”), from Proto-West Germanic *banki, from Proto-Germanic *bankiz. More at bench.
3 source sections · 5 relationship mentions* Perhaps a child's pronunciation of blanket. * (US) Commercial child's pacifier brand name. (1948–1977)
2 source sections · 0 relationship mentionsUnknown. The species name was spelled binny by one early taxonomist.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom bi- + -nom.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordAbbreviation of binoculars.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordBorrowed from Arabic بِنْت (bint, “girl, daughter”), from Proto-Semitic *bint-, used to denote a patronym. The term entered the British lexicon during the occupation of Egypt at the end of the 19th century, where it was
1 source section · 2 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃-der. Ancient Greek βῐ́ος (bĭ́os) Ancient Greek βῐο- (bĭo-)der. English bio- From Ancient Greek βιο- (bio-), combining form and stem of βίος (bíos, “life”). By surface analysis,
1 source section · 2 relationship mentionsShortening.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom bio- + -ome.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordBack-formation from bionic.
2 source sections · 0 relationship mentionsFrom bi- (“bio-”) + -ont.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordBlend of biological + organism(?), modelled on cyborg, which is from cybernetic + organism.
1 source section · 2 relationship mentionsFrom Ancient Greek βίος (bíos, “life, the good life”), first distinguished in this particular sense by Giorgio Agamben. Doublet of jiva and quick.
1 source section · 3 relationship mentionsFrom bi- + -ose.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom French Biot; Named after Jean-Baptiste Biot.
2 source sections · 3 relationship mentionsFrom New Latin biota, from Ancient Greek βιοτή (biotḗ), from βίος (bíos).
1 source section · 1 relationship mention · brief recordImitative.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Korean 비파 (bipa), from Mandarin 琵琶 (pípá). Doublet of biwa and pipa.
1 source section · 4 relationship mentionsBorrowed from Latin bipēs, bipedis. Alternatively analyzable as bi- + -ped.
1 source section · 2 relationship mentionsFrom bi- + -pod.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordCoined by James Rutherford Morison, British surgeon, from the initial letters of the ingredients.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordPacifier sense from a brand name.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordVariant of bi- (“two”).
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordAlteration of bird. Possibly coined by Katie Gouldin on the humorous Twitter account @ProBirdRights in a 2012 tweet, although it did not become widely used until 2014.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentionsPIE word *bʰerHǵós From Middle English birche, birk, from Old English birċe, bierċe, from Proto-West Germanic *birkijā, from Proto-Germanic *birkijǭ, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerHǵos. Cognates Compare West Frisian bjir
1 source section · 18 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Old English bridd Middle English brid English bird From Middle English bird, brid, from Old English bridd (“chick, fledgling, chicken”), of uncertain origin (see Old English bridd for more). Originally fro
3 source sections · 4 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Old English bridd Middle English brid English bird Latin ō Old French ohbor. Middle English o English O ▲ Middle English o English oh English -o English birdo From bird + -o.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Old English bridd Middle English brid English bird Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English birdy From bird + -y.
2 source sections · 0 relationship mentionsFrom Northern Middle English birk, birke, byrke (“birch”), (southern Middle English birche). More at birch. (tree): Cognate with Scots birk.
1 source section · 2 relationship mentionsInherited from Middle English birlen.
3 source sections · 2 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English birlen, from Old English byrelian (“to give or serve a drink to”), from byrele (“cupbearer, steward, butler”), from Proto-Germanic *burilijaz (“carrier, manservant”), from *burjô (“descendant, son”),
1 source section · 4 relationship mentionsGenericized trademark of BIRO, named after László Bíró, the inventor of the first commercially succesful ballpoint pen.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English bir (“favorable or strong wind”), from Old English byre (“strong wind, storm”); cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk bør, Icelandic byrr (“sailing winds”), Albanian borë (“snow”), and Polish burza (“storm,
2 source sections · 6 relationship mentionsBorrowed from Scots birse (“bristle, hair”).
1 source section · 1 relationship mention · brief recordFrom birse + -y (“having the quality of”).
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English byrte; compare French bertonneau and English bret, burt.
1 source section · 3 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *bʰértisder. Proto-Germanic *burþiz Old Norse burðrbor. Middle English birthe English birth From Middle English birthe (1250), from
3 source sections · 16 relationship mentionsSee the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
2 source sections · 1 relationship mention · brief recordBorrowed from French bise.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom bi- + set.
2 source sections · 1 relationship mention · brief recordPhonetic modification of bitch, based on black American speech.
2 source sections · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordBorrowed from Gulf Arabic بِشْت.
1 source section · 1 relationship mention · brief recordBorrowed from French bisque, possibly from Biscaye.
2 source sections · 3 relationship mentionsFrom bi- + ski.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English bysontes, bysountes pl, from Middle French bison, from Latin bisōn, bisōnt- (“wild ox”). The Latin term is recorded in the 1st century, likely a direct loan from Proto-Germanic *wisundaz (“wild ox, au
1 source section · 10 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English bist, beest, best, from Old English bist ("(thou) art"; second person singular of bēon (“to be”)), from Proto-Germanic *biusi (“(thou) art”), equivalent to be + -est. Cognate with West Frisian bist (“
1 source section · 6 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English bitte, bite, from Old English bita (“bit; fragment; morsel”) and bite (“a bite; cut”), from Proto-Germanic *bitô and *bitiz; both from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (“to split”). More at bite. Cognates
3 source sections · 11 relationship mentionsFrom an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in which a character mishears an oral spelling of the word "bitch". * 1997 September 15, “When She Was Bad”, in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 2, episode 1, spoken by Xander
1 source section · 0 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English biche, bicche, from Old English biċċe, from Proto-West Germanic *bikkjā, from Proto-Germanic *bikjǭ (“female dog”) (compare Norwegian bikkje (“dog, bitch”), Old Danish bikke (“bitch”)), from Proto-Ger
2 source sections · 18 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- Proto-Indo-European *-t Proto-Indo-European *bʰéydt Proto-Germanic *bītaną Proto-West Germanic *bītan Old English bītan Middle English biten English bite From Middle English bit
2 source sections · 34 relationship mentionsFrom bite + -ee.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English biter, bitere, equivalent to bite + -er. Cognate with West Frisian biter (“biter”), Dutch bijter (“biter”), German Low German Bieter (“biter”), German Beißer (“biter”).
2 source sections · 4 relationship mentionsFrom bite + -y (suffix forming adjectives). Compare West Frisian bitsich (“snappy”), Saterland Frisian bieterg (“snappish”), German Low German bittsig (“snappy”), German bissig (“snappy, snappish”).
2 source sections · 3 relationship mentionsFrom Russian битки́ (bitkí), plural of бито́к (bitók).
1 source section · 1 relationship mention · brief recordEtymology tree English bits Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English bitsy From bits + -y.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentionsBorrowed from Italian bitto.
1 source section · 1 relationship mention · brief recordFrom Middle English, probably of Low German or North Germanic origin, and the English form a corruption or contraction, from Old Norse biti, probably ultimately from a variant of Proto-Germanic *bitiz. Compare Swedish be
1 source section · 4 relationship mentionsEtymology tree English bit Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English bitty From bit + -y.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentionsFrom bi- + Latin unus (“one”).
1 source section · 2 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English biveren, beveren (“to tremble”), frequentative form of Old English beofian, bifian (“to tremble, be moved, shake, quake”), from Proto-West Germanic *bibēn, from Proto-Germanic *bibāną (“to quake, shiv
1 source section · 13 relationship mentionsFrom bivouac + -y.
2 source sections · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordEtymology tree English bivouac Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English bivy From bivouac + -y.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordBorrowing from Japanese 琵琶 (biwa). Doublet of bipa and pipa.
1 source section · 3 relationship mentionsFrom the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of the Mandarin 辟邪 (bìxié).
3 source sections · 5 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Proto-West Germanic *bisīg Old English bisiġ Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Prot
1 source section · 0 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English bysen, partly from Old English bȳsen (“example, pattern, model, similitude, parable, parallel, rule, command, precept”), and partly from Old Norse býsn (“a wonder, a portentous thing”), both from Prot
1 source section · 6 relationship mentionsCompare bezel.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordEtymology tree Proto-West Germanic *bisīg Old English bisiġ Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Prot
1 source section · 0 relationship mentionsFrom French, either from blé (“wheat”) or from blanc (“white”) as in pain blanc (“white bread”). Cognate with Yola blah (“a thin cake”).
1 source section · 1 relationship mentionFrom Middle English blabben (“to talk foolishly”), perhaps from Middle English blabbe (“idle talk; talebearer”). Compare Middle English blaberen (“to blabber, babble”), Middle High German blabezen (“to stammer, babble”).
1 source section · 4 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Proto-Germanic *blakaz Proto-West Germanic *blak Old English blæc Middle English blak English black From Middle English blak, black, blake, from Old English blæc (“black, dark", also "ink”), from Proto-Wes
3 source sections · 36 relationship mentionsApparently from a dialectal variant of blade. Compare Danish blad (“leaf”), Swedish blad (“leaf”).
1 source section · 2 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₃-der. Proto-Germanic *bladą Proto-West Germanic *blad Old English blæd Middle English bladder. Middle English blade English blade From Middle English blade, blad, from Old Englis
1 source section · 13 relationship mentionsFrom blade + -y.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief record17th century, from Dutch blaffen.
1 source section · 1 relationship mention · brief recordThe origin of the noun is unknown. The verb is derived from the noun.
3 source sections · 4 relationship mentions* Sense “Idle, meaningless talk” (1940), probably imitative or echoic in origin. Compare Ancient Greek βαρ-βαρ (bar-bar, “unintelligible sounds”), of which the word barbarian derives from. * Adjective sense “bland, dull”
1 source section · 3 relationship mentionsEtymology tree English blah Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁-? Proto-Indo-European *wiHrós Proto-Germanic *weraz Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *h₂életi Proto-Germanic *alaną Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Ger
1 source section · 0 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English blein, from Old English bleġen, bleġene, from Proto-Germanic *blajinǭ, *blajjinǭ, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to swell up”). Cognate with West Frisian blein (“blain”), Dutch blein, blegn
1 source section · 10 relationship mentionsCoined by visual artist Destiny Deacon in 1991 as an alteration of black.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- Proto-Indo-European *bʰleyǵ-der. Proto-Germanic *blaikaz Proto-West Germanic *blaik Old English blāc Middle English blake English blake From Middle English blak, blac (“pale”), f
1 source section · 5 relationship mentionsBy onomatopoeia.
2 source sections · 0 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English blame, borrowed from Old French blame, blasme, produced from the verb blasmer, which in turn is derived from Late Latin blastēmāre, variant of blasphēmāre, from Ancient Greek βλασφημέω (blasphēméō). D
2 source sections · 9 relationship mentionsBorrowed from French blanc (“white”). Doublet of blank.
1 source section · 3 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *melh₂-der.? Latin blandusbor. English bland Borrowed from Latin blandus (“pleasant”).
3 source sections · 12 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English blank, blonc, blaunc, blaunche, from Anglo-Norman blonc, blaunc, blaunche, from Old French blanc, feminine blanche, from Frankish *blank (“gleaming, white, blinding”), from Proto-Germanic *blankaz (“w
2 source sections · 20 relationship mentionsOnomatopoeia.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordBorrowed from Afrikaans blaps (“howler, blooper”).
1 source section · 1 relationship mention · brief recordThe verb is derived from Late Middle English blaren, bleren, bloren (“to bellow, cry, wail; of a goat: to bleat”), probably from Old English *blǣran, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₁- (“to bleat, cry”) and ultim
1 source section · 6 relationship mentionsOrigin obscure. Possibly from Middle English *blerten, from Old English *blǣrettan, a variant of Old English *blǣran (compare Middle English bleren, blaren, bloren (“to cry, bellow, wail”) > English blare, blore). Compar
1 source section · 7 relationship mentionsUnclear. Perhaps ultimately imitative; compare plash, pash (“heavy rain”), dialectal clash (“heavy rain”).
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordInherited from Middle English blast, from Old English blǣst (“blowing, blast”), from Proto-West Germanic *blāstu, from Proto-Germanic *blēstuz (“blowing, blast”). Cognate with West Frisian blast (“blast”), dialectal Dutc
5 source sections · 20 relationship mentionsBorrowed from French blasé (“blasé, jaded”), past participle of blaser (“to blunt, dull”), from Middle Dutch blâsen (“to blow, sound, brag”), from Old Dutch *blāsan, from Proto-West Germanic *blāsan (“to blow”), from Pro
1 source section · 8 relationship mentionsImitative. First attested in 1846 in the intransitive sense of "bleat". Compare English bleat, Old English blǣtan (“to bleat”).
3 source sections · 8 relationship mentionsBorrowed from Scots blate (“timid, sheepish”), apparently a conflation of: * Northern Middle English *blate, *blait (“pale, ghastly, terrified”), from Old English blāt (“pale, livid, ghastly”), from Proto-West Germanic *
1 source section · 9 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁-? Proto-Indo-European *wiHrós Proto-Germanic *weraz Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *h₂életi Proto-Germanic *alaną Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Germanic *-þiz P
1 source section · 0 relationship mentionsFrom blacks (plural of black) with -x replacing the /ks/ sound.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English *blaye, *bleye, from Old English blǣġe (“blay, bleak, gudgeon”), from Proto-West Germanic *blaigijā, from Proto-Germanic *blaigijǭ (“blay, bleak, gudgeon”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleyk- (“to shin
1 source section · 8 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English blase, from Old English blæse, blase (“firebrand, torch, lamp, flame”), from Proto-West Germanic *blasā, from Proto-Germanic *blasǭ (“torch”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shine, be white”). C
4 source sections · 22 relationship mentionsFrom blaze + -y.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordOnomatopoeic.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English bleke (also bleche, whence the English doublet bleach (“pale, bleak”)), and bleike (due to Old Norse), and earlier Middle English blak, blac (“pale, wan”), from Old English blǣc, blǣċ, blāc (“bleak, p
2 source sections · 22 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English blere, related to Low German bleeroged (“bleareyed”), Middle High German blerre (“double vision”), German Blerre (“double vision”). Perhaps also related to blur.
3 source sections · 11 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English bleten, from Old English blǣtan (“to bleat”), from Proto-West Germanic *blātijan, from Proto-Germanic *blētijaną (“to bleat”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₁- (“to howl, cry, bleat”), fro
1 source section · 12 relationship mentionsPossibly onomatopoeic, similarly to blob and blubber.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordImitative.
2 source sections · 2 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English blek (“ink”), from Old Norse blek (“black tint, ink”), from Old English blæc (“black tint or dye, ink”), from Proto-West Germanic *blak, from Proto-Germanic *blaką (“that which is black; blackness”).
3 source sections · 6 relationship mentionsSee bleed.
2 source sections · 3 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English blee, ble, from Old English blēo, bleoh (“color, hue; complexion, form”), from Proto-West Germanic *blīu (“color, blee”). Cognate with Scots ble, blee, blie (“color, complexion”), Old Frisian blī, bli
2 source sections · 9 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English bleden, from Old English blēdan (“to bleed”), from Proto-West Germanic *blōdijan, from Proto-Germanic *blōdijaną (“to bleed”), from *blōþą (“blood”). Cognates Cognate with Scots blede, bleid (“to blee
1 source section · 12 relationship mentionsBlend of blue + green; coined by American philosopher Nelson Goodman in 1955 to illustrate concepts in the philosophy of science
1 source section · 2 relationship mentionsOnomatopoeic.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordUnknown
2 source sections · 0 relationship mentionsOnomatopoeia.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordImitative.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English blenden, either from Old English blandan, blondan, ġeblandan, ġeblendan or from Old Norse blanda (“to blend, mix”) (which was originally a strong verb with the present-tense stem blend; compare blendi
1 source section · 9 relationship mentionsUnknown
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordImitative.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordBlend of black + nerd.
1 source section · 2 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English blessen, from Old English bletsian (“to consecrate (with blood)”), from Proto-West Germanic *blōdisōn (“to sprinkle, mark or hallow with blood”), from Proto-Germanic *blōþą (“blood”), of uncertain ori
2 source sections · 8 relationship mentionsBorrowed from French blettir, coined by John Lindley.
1 source section · 1 relationship mention · brief recordFrom Middle English blew, from Old English blēow, from Proto-West Germanic *blē.
1 source section · 3 relationship mentionsSee blue.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordPerhaps onomatopoeic; perhaps an error for, or a nonce alteration of, blink or click; perhaps a continuation of Middle English bliken (compare blicker), which may have survived in dialect despite not being attested in pr
3 source sections · 8 relationship mentionsThought by some to be a shortening of "I'm obliged".
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordCoined by R. M. Hare in 1950.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English bliken, from Old English blīcan (“to shine, glitter, dazzle, sparkle, twinkle”), from Proto-West Germanic *blīkan, from Proto-Germanic *blīkaną (“to gleam, shine”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“t
1 source section · 5 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁-? Proto-Indo-European *wiHrós Proto-Germanic *weraz Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *h₂életi Proto-Germanic *alaną Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Germanic *-þiz P
1 source section · 0 relationship mentionsFrom God blind me.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordOrigin not entirely certain. However, most historians believe that it is onomatopoeia for the sound a blimp makes when thumped. Although there is some disagreement among historians, credit for coining the term is usually
1 source section · 0 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English blinnen, from Old English blinnan (“to stop, cease”), from Proto-Germanic *bilinnaną (“to turn aside, swerve from”), from Proto-Indo-European *ley-, *leya- (“to deflect, turn away, vanish, slip”); equ
2 source sections · 7 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English blynd, from Old English blind, from Proto-West Germanic *blind, from Proto-Germanic *blindaz. Cognate with Danish, Dutch, German, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish blind, Faroese and Ic
1 source section · 5 relationship mentionsEllipsis of bling bling.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Russian блины́ (bliný), plural of блин (blin, “pancake”).
1 source section · 1 relationship mention · brief recordFrom Middle English blynken, blenken, from Old English *blincan (suggested by causative verb blenċan (“to deceive”); > English blench), from Proto-Germanic *blinkaną, a variant of *blīkaną (“to gleam, shine”). Cognate wi
1 source section · 8 relationship mentionsFrom Russian блины́ (bliný).
1 source section · 1 relationship mention · brief recordOnomatopoeic.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom a variation of blurt.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom bladed + disk.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English bliss, from Old English bliss, variant of earlier blīds, blīþs (“joy, gladness”), from Proto-West Germanic *blīþisi (“joy, goodness, kindness”).
1 source section · 3 relationship mentionsFrom BitBLT, the name of a computer graphics operation which stands for bit-block transfer and is pronounced bit blit.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Latin blitum.
1 source section · 1 relationship mention · brief recordPseudo-Germanism, derived from a clipping of blitzkrieg, from German Blitzkrieg (literally “lightning war”). The German word Blitz (“lightning”) lacks the "sudden attack" senses that the English word has.
1 source section · 1 relationship mentionSee the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
2 source sections · 3 relationship mentionsBlend of bleach + fixer.
1 source section · 2 relationship mentions · brief recordPerhaps from Middle English blot, blout (“soft; flexible; pliable”), from Old Norse blautr (“soft”). Akin to Danish blød, Dutch bloot (“nude”) and German bloß (“nude”).
1 source section · 5 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English *blob (attested in blobby). Possibly onomatopoeic, similarly to bleb and blubber.
3 source sections · 2 relationship mentions · brief recordBorrowed from French bloc (“group, block”), ultimately of Old Dutch origin, from Frankish or Proto-West Germanic *blokk, from Proto-Germanic *blukką (“beam, log”). Doublet of block.
1 source section · 3 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English blok (“log, stump, solid piece”), from Old French bloc (“log, block”), from Middle Dutch blok (“treetrunk”), from Old Dutch *blok (“log”), from Proto-West Germanic *blokk, from Proto-Germanic *blukką
2 source sections · 24 relationship mentionsBorrowed from Portuguese bloco.
1 source section · 1 relationship mention · brief recordEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁-? Proto-Indo-European *wiHrós Proto-Germanic *weraz Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *h₂életi Proto-Germanic *alaną Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Germanic *-þiz P
5 source sections · 0 relationship mentionsOrigin unknown; the following borrowings have been hypothesized: * From a modern Celtic language, such as Irish bloc (“block”) or Scottish Gaelic ploc (“large, stubborn person”, literally “block of wood”), themselves bor
1 source section · 4 relationship mentionsBorrowed from Middle French blond m, from Old French blond, blont, blund, (> Medieval Latin blondus), from Frankish *blund (“a mixed color between golden and light-brown”), from Proto-Germanic *blundaz (“mixed, blinding”
1 source section · 9 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₃-der.? Proto-Germanic *blōþą Proto-West Germanic *blōd Old English blōd Middle English blood English blood From Middle English blood, from Old English blōd, from Proto-West Germa
2 source sections · 34 relationship mentionsBlend of blog + book.
1 source section · 2 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English blome, from Old Norse blóm, from Proto-Germanic *blōmô (“flower”). Doublet of bloom (“spongy mass of metal”); see there for more.
3 source sections · 37 relationship mentionsImitative.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordOnomatopoeic.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English bloren, variation of bleren, blaren, from Old English *blǣran, *blārian (“to blare, bellow, cry”). More at blare.
2 source sections · 2 relationship mentionsOnomatopoeic.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordOnomatopoetic; in sense 1, also a blend of blow + snort.
1 source section · 2 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English blot (“blot, spot, stain, blemish”). Perhaps from Old Norse *blettr (“blot, stain”) (only attested in documents from after Old Norse transitioned to Icelandic blettur), or from Old French bloche (“clo
2 source sections · 8 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- Proto-Indo-European *-eh₁- Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₁-der. Proto-Germanic *blēaną Proto-West Germanic *blāan Old English blāwan Middle English blowen English blow From Middle En
5 source sections · 35 relationship mentionsSee blow (etymology 1)
2 source sections · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English blawen, from Old English blāƿen, blāwen, past participle of Old English blāwan. Morphologically blow + -n.
1 source section · 3 relationship mentionsEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- Proto-Indo-European *-eh₁- Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₁-der. Proto-Germanic *blēaną Proto-West Germanic *blāan Old English blāwan Middle English blowen English blow Proto-Indo-Eur
2 source sections · 0 relationship mentionsFrom blocks (plural of block) with -x replacing the /ks/ sound. The verb is after Roblox.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordOnomatopoeic. Compare bleb and blob.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordCreated in Multicultural London English, of Jamaican origin. Has since spread around England, and thence Anglosphere and online. Claimed to be, via eye dialect spelling, from Caribbean Creole blood (“family relation, clo
1 source section · 0 relationship mentionsFrom Middle English blew, blewe, from Anglo-Norman blew, from Middle French bleu, from Old French blöe, bleve, blef (“blue”), from Frankish *blāu (“blue”) (perhaps through a Late Latin blāvus, blāvius (“blue”) attested f
3 source sections · 38 relationship mentionsClipping of blueberry.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom blue + -en.
1 source section · 2 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom blue + -er (“Oxford -er”). Used at Harrow School in London, United Kingdom.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordSource etymology material for blues; no narrative etymology was supplied in this snapshot.
2 source sections · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English blawede, blewed, blewet, bloued, blowed, bloweth, from Middle English blewe (“blue”). Alternatively, perhaps from Old French bleuet (diminutive of bleu (“blue”)). Compare modern French bleuet (“cornfl
1 source section · 4 relationship mentionsEtymology tree English blue Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English bluey From blue + -y.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentionsProbably from Dutch bluffen (“to brag”), from Middle Dutch bluffen (“to make something swell; to bluff”); or from the Dutch noun bluf (“bragging”). Related to German verblüffen (“to stump, perplex”).
4 source sections · 7 relationship mentionsImitative; compare blah, blech, etc.
1 source section · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordApparently a corruption of blenk and/or blink.
2 source sections · 0 relationship mentions · brief recordFrom Middle English blunt, blont, from Old English *blunt, probably of North Germanic origin, possibly related to Old Norse blunda (“to shut eyes, to doze”), related to blind (> Icelandic blunda, Swedish blunda, Danish b
2 source sections · 9 relationship mentionsThese source reports extend Wiktionary’s work through Kaikki / Wiktextract, with attribution and visible extraction limits. A relationship mentioned in a source is not automatically the immediate parent of a word. Newly written research analyses cite their own references. The reviewed graph has a separate evidence contract and counter.
The full multilingual corpus remains local; this directory covers only the bounded English slice. See exactly what has been acquired and published →